Our same old open thread poll, with an extra dose of lazy to celebrate Labor Day weekend. Talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the latest sample you managed to get your hands on, the sample you just can't seem to get your hands on, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Umbrellas [cropped] by Kirrin at flickr; some rights reserved.
Happy Saturday! I tried SJP’s Stash yesterday and… I liked it, but I probably won’t add it to my collection. Definitely unisex and nicely done – a little boozey, spicey, woody. I’ve read that some find it similar to DK’s Chaos (which, I’ll admit, I never liked). But I found it much more similar to Frapin Caravelle Epicee which I do like. I guess I get more booze and spice than incense from Stash. However, Stash seemed very linear to me. It mellowed and became softer yet unchanged and that’s not as appealing to me as a fragrance with some movement.
In other news, I’m curious whether anyone has tried either Byredo’s Suede hand lotion or hand wash – doesn’t seem to be in fragrance form. Or The Different Company’s new White Zagora?
An SA at Barneys told me that she liked it when a fragrance “doesn’t change,” as she wants it to remain the pretty opening throughout. So, there must be a market for linear! But I’m with you, haven’t tried Stash, but I’m often disappointed when a scent seems unidimensional.
Well, I can understand her point of view. I guess I should qualify my statement to be that I prefer movement and more development as long as I like what it becomes!
I’m hoping to test Stash out this weekend.
I like linear. I am always amazed when I read that someone can detect x minutes or x hours after initial application, some note becomes more prominent or appears.
I was hoping to try Stash today but was told it isn’t out yet in my area. They were supposed to get it by mid October but the website sales take precedence and they’re already sold out so maybe by Christmas. I expect to have forgotten about it by then.
I tried Stash and it was a scrubber for me. ????
Happy weekend! Wearing PG Bois Blond today, second of a recent batch of samples. Yesterday was Cadjméré, which I loved – first PG scent that I’ve fallen for. I thought Bois Blond was less interesting at first but the drydown is gorgeous and going on for hours.
Cadjmere really is lovely. That’s one I wouldn’t mind owning.
I fell in love with PG Bois Blond for its incredible drydown. One of my first big loves as a perfumista! Maybe I’ll wear that one today. So perfect for a fall day that’s warm with a cool evening! Enjoy!
I recently got a sample of Bois Blond too because it seems to be well liked and I’d never tried it. At first I thought: uh oh, this isn’t gonna work. But time passed and then…yes! The dry down is beautiful.
I’m wearing l’occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc.
Only four more days until our trip to France! I started putter some outfits together, but they haven’t made it to the suitcase yet.
C’est fantastique! Have a great time in France!
When travelling I always try to pack “extra light” or “forget” a cardigan or something (perfume!) so I have an excuse to shop 😉
I like the way you think !
I like to pack (or at least pre-pack) really early. I always find something I would have forgotten, if I’d waited until the last minute!
Same. I make a list, do an initial pack, and continue editing from there. And obsessively check weather forecasts.
Yes! I made an inclusive camping packing list after too many trips forgetting my towel, or the marshmallow fork, or whatever! Now, it sits on top of the bin with my gear, and I am sure to refer to it before I head out. I find it very reassuring.
Your process is exactly what I did that for Hawaii. Great minds 🙂
I took a trip to the berkshires this weekend and forgot – my entire suitcase. Had to drive 2 and a half hours back and then return this morning. Ridiculous!
Have a great time in France!
Aaarrgh!
Oy! No amount of planning could have prevented that! Enjoy the Berkshires and you’ll be far away from the coast and avoid Hermine!
Urgh – that’s why I bring somebody (they’ll remind me). Hope it was a nice drive!
Amazingly I had someone with me! He thought I had it, I guess, and I thought he had it.
Thanks !
I hope your trip is fantastic !
Yikes! Sounds like something I’d do.
Oh, I can see myself doing this also. That’s why I don’t get much sleep the night before a trip.
I think 4 days is enough time to make your way to the suitcase. It’s important to start thinking about what to pack well in advance to avoid forgetting anything.
Have you planned a perfume shopping spree?
Yes, the first day we’ll be visiting Caron, Guerlain , Chanel and Galeries Lafayette. I can’t wait to see what the beauty/fragrance section looks like in a Paris department store!
I’m trying to fit two other perfume stops in there, but I think we’ll run out of time. We have to allow time for lunch & dinner
I made a list also. Otherwise, I’d be stressing out right now ☺
Yay weekend!
SOTD: Fruit Defendu by Terry Degunzburg. I smell like a delicious summer fruit cocktail.
Robin, I was thinking if the October Friday projects are still in the making perhaps we can have a 2 consecutive Fridays called Trick Friday (21st) and Treat Friday (28th), with Trick being us wearing a fragrance that is named as one thing but smells totally the different and Treat being a sweet (or sweet-toothed even?) gourmand?
Geez, I can’t believe we are almost ¾ past 2016!
I like that community project idea 🙂
Great idea!
Nice! If we don’t do it this year we’ll do it next.
Yay! 😀
Sounds fun – and then layer for Halloween!
Started the day in the last few drops of SL Rousse. Now in SOTD Chanel Sycomore. The day is grey and dreary, but my new laptop has arrived so I have a night of techie fun ahead, yay! :^)
I love getting a new laptop!
Sycomore is a great scent for being efficient with technology in. Or with people. I wear it when I feel the need for bracing.
SOTE is Calé Fragranze d’Autore “Mistero”. I first tried this for the community project where we tried a perfume whose notes were unknown to us. I really enjoyed it and finally got around to getting a 30ml bottle last week.
Top: rum, rhubarb and mint;
Mid: pimento, elemi, saffron and basmati rice;
Base: oak, agar, labdanum and musk
Yum! :^)
A new bottle and a new laptop — great weekend !
I just lost my comment for the second time so here’s the less organized and non-proofread version.
It’s my husband’s birthday and he has chosen a weather and venue inappropriate outfit for me to wear for dinner tonight. I put my foot down about wearing Salome with my flocked taffeta Christmas party dress. It’s supposed to be extra humid and only cool off to 82f tonight. Oh, he also asked that I wear my hair in a beehive. *sigh* My hair will be in a sensible ponytail, liberally coated with anti-frizz product and I will be wearing Centennial, which he also loves. I really hope that my mother-in-law decides she wants to take us to the fancy steakhouse instead of the casual one that had been mentioned.
I AM grateful that he didn’t remember about the very loud psychedelic print polyester dress from Great Aunt Helen.
I just snorted a late-morning cup of coffee! 😀 Hope hubby’s birthday is happy anyway!
Lol,so how many demands(“requests”) did you give into?Lol.Hope you have a good time,regardless!
Hysterical!
Could be best laugh I have all day…. I guess a beehive would protect from weather….any weather. Hoping for your steakhouse!
I can see you scheming for when you outfit and scent him on YOUR birthday. Payback is SWEET!
I’m glad you didn’t give up and shared this story with us – thank you for the laugh and wishing you great evening, no matter what you wear (or eat).
Speaking about lost comments, after many incidents (not here but in general) I started saving the text in the clipboard before posting… and I rarely need to use what I saved (so I figured out computers/phones are just messing with us when they feel volnurability but let us be if we’re prepared 😉 ).
I usually copy and paste on WordPress powered comments, but rarely have trouble on NST. My browser is just refresh-happy today.
I couldn’t resist sharing. I think Mr. Minion’s enthusiasm is endearing but I occasionally wish we had room for a mannequin.
Soivohle Centennial? I love that one. (But would probably die in it in 80F weather.) Hope you have fun.
Yeah. I will apply carefully (and it’s still easier than Salome).
Love this and can totally relate!
My husband is older than me and has very different taste, the words old fashioned and Victorian come to mind. The early years of our marriage were rough when it came to getting dressed to go out. Oh, and the more barrettes and bows I could wear in my hair, the better.
We’ve learned to compromise over the years 😉
Too funny. Kind of nice that he cares. My husband offers zero opinions about how I dress. Sounds like you were either going to a rock-a-billy place or a surprise B-52s concert!
Just got back from yoga….feeling great! Starting my week of tea with Assam of India sprayed in my car after class…love this…
I don’t know why I don’t do yoga every day. But I sure don’t.
I used to be extremely disciplined and did it every day along with meditation…not anymore…but after every class or my own practice I always feel so great that I say “Why don’t I do this every day?” !!
I’m just back from yoga also. As much as I love it, I don’t want to do it every day. 3 times a week would be great!
I don’t want to go to class every day, but I don’t know why I don’t do 10 minutes every day. I feel so much better even after 10 minutes!
Now I miss yoga. Good on you!
never too late to get back into it 🙂
Tired out from a week with lots going on and a corresponding lack of sleep. Also a big decision to ponder. So lots and lots of Hanbury and Saffron Troublant the last few days to keep me on a even keel 🙂
Ooh, good luck with decisions! I *hate* feeling on the fence about something important. I do so much better once I have a solid decision in place and a path chosen. Hope you have a process you like for helping you decide!
Yes, exactly! Its just getting there is sometimes such a pain.
Recently got to try Hanbury….so beautiful!
Good choices perfume-wise! 🙂
I am wearing two vintage Mitsoukos today.
I bought a decant at the Guerlain sale from TPC. I also have an old bottle I bought years ago at an estate sale. I have never really *gotten* this one, but I like to resniff now and again and test to see if my preferences changed. I also was curious if what I didn’t like about my bottle was that it was going off.
And the verdict? I like it! The top notes on my bottle are definitely not right, but once those burn off (thankfully quickly), the two scents match. It’s a bit sweet with peach, so I don’t think I’m loving it, but it’s totally wearable and friendly. So, glad I didn’t throw it out!
I’m guessing many, many Mitsouko lovers out there are alternately cringing about the “throw it out” part and frantically searching the NST archives for your email address. 😀
I tried to swap it away a few times and never had any takers! I figured the ugly top notes kept it from being worth anything, but then never could *quite* convince myself it was actually garbage.
Good for you to keep trying! It took me several months to find the beauty in my sample of Mitsouko, and it hadn’t even turned. It’s now on my Buy list.
Mostly, I’m ok passing something on as soon as I’ve decided I don’t like it, but it’s tough with these much-loved classics! I’m glad I gave it another try, too!
Recent purchase was the coffret of 9mls Bvlgari Le Gemme.SOTD the fabulous purple-ey Ashlemah,the heliotrope is stunning on my skin!Pretty linear otherwise,but it’s a fun second-day-of-Spring perfume!And the bottles are gorgeous,even the smaller ones.Yesterday I wore Armani Ambre Eccentrico,it might possibly become a favorite go-to fragrance!Happy Laborday weekend America!xo
Those Bvlgary bottles are cute! And I like at least a couple of the “colors”.
I’m wearing Demeter’s Tomato, which is rapidly becoming a favorite. I figured out that I have seven days worth of tea fragrances, so I’m set for next week.
Just got to try Demeter’s Daffodil (which is great)….once the no spending rule is lifted in my house I will have to explore Demeter as they are incredibly priced….and I am always on the lookout of a tomato leaf note….must smell really good!
I have Demeter Tomato, just sayin’ ……………
Too funny, hajusuuri! I know you are still working on sending out packages to others so I am not going to burden you…the one I am really wanting is no 22 but it can definitely wait…..I will email you in a few weeks or whenever you think your decanting projects slow down….and it is very much appreciated, your offer 🙂 You are so good and so generous to all on NST!
I’m wearing Yves Rocher Rose oud today, and find it very nice. The dry down is the best part, mellow and dense. A great budget friendly scent.
I’m going to Edinburgh with friends next month (woohooo!!!) and I’m busying myself with research. Must smell Sarah McCartneys Damn rebell bitches, but otherwise? What is a must to smell in Edinburgh?
Jenner’s has a not-bad selection, although when I was there in May the SA said the Glasgow House of Fraser had a bigger selection. The Scottish soap-y places were pleasant but unoriginal tourist-bait, imo.
Also, dagnabbit, YR Canada *still* hasn’t come out with Rose Oud! Good thing I broke down at the Heathrow duty-free and got some JM Velvet Rose and Oud.
Have a great trip…
Thank you for good advice! I’m sure it will be fantastic.
Have fun! I was there in August five years ago and the highlight was attending a Military Tatoo performance.
SOTM is my old friend Gucci EDP. We’re taking the cars in for service and will wait there with crossword puzzles (we do them simultaneously/competitively) and the dealership’s coffee-and-donut bar. After that I’m afraid I have to brave the mall – argh – because I’m nearly out of a few things that make me presentable each day. Maybe I’ll hit the Jo Malone counter and see if anything calls my name. As a reward for braving the mall, you know?
You absolutely deserve a reward!
Thanks lillyjo! I did spritz a few blotters at the JM counter, but nothing reached out and grabbed me. So then I spritzed 19 Poudre and Eau Premiere at the Chanel counter, and … a small bottle of 19 Poudre came home with me. Rounds out my No. 19 collection.
Good for you! I love making a collection complete. It’s very satisfying.
You smell great! If you get the chance to try the Jo Malone rare teas, do share!
I was hoping to, but they have apparently not yet arrived at the Washington Square Nordie’s. Maybe I should try downtown.
I stayed up late watching the Tigers win last night, and had to work early this morning. I’m very tired and procrastinating on house cleaning and bill paying. I’m wearing Perfumista Avenue for the first time. I fell for it instantly, but now I’m tired of it. I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend.
Wearing LeLabo Vanille44 and cursing myself for having ordered a sample. It was love at first sniff. Ironically, I don’t get much vanilla from this but just a beautiful, soft incense. Why oh why does it have to be sooo expensive. Any (reasonably priced) comparibles out there? Our cool, crisp weather is calling for fall scents.
You can check out Basenotes Fragrance Split Boards. The prices are substantially cheaper. I’ve purchased splits from this are splitter in the past. She is reliable but you do have to be patient as it take a long time for some splits to fill. Please email me if you can’t find the specific board.
Don’t mind the typos and grammatical errors…this is what happens when you multi-task!
When is the splitmeet happening here?
Sept 24!
I second that splitter – she is great. I think there a couple of spots left for Vanilla (I have been waiting for a while so have been monitoring it closely).
Wearing BK Rose Oud today, and a Ted Baker shawl/scarf with a beautiful oversized rose print on hammered silk. Felt appropriate. Just ordered travel guides from Amazon and am so excited to begin planning next year’s trip to Jordan. Will finally be seeing Petra and spending nights in the desert of Wadi Rum. Has anyone here made this trip and have any suggestions for me? Won’t be going till spring, but need to start planning now and lock in flights while they are still relatively cheap.
Alas, my knowledge of Petra starts and stops with Agatha Christie…
Mine too! Coincidentally, I’m sitting around being lazy and binge-watching Poirot this afternoon. 🙂
I have many well-traveled friends who visited Petra and loved it, and not getting there is my only regret from my time in the Middle East. Here are some thoughts:
1. Look into weather carefully. In Egypt, there are often dust storms (khamseen) in April. I’m not sure if there is a particular season for that in Jordan, but it’s worth checking.
2. If you have time, I’ve also heard Jerash is also worth visiting. It’s from the same period as Palmyra in Syria.
3. It’s worth looking into advice about appropriate dress and safety precautions and taking that seriously.
Great choice! Have a wonderful time!
Jirish,
When I lived in Iran I went to Jordan quite a bit. Petra is stunning and I am glad to have seen it.
Dress modestly, including covering your arms. This also helps protect against the intense sun and sand that gets into everything. Bring or buy lightweight scarves to cover your head or hair if needed.
Lots of parts of Jordan are westernized, but it’s best to be careful with dress and demeanor.
Doing my part to keep things lazy, I woke up two hours later than usual this morning.
I blame the deep sleep on back to school fatigue plus last night’s cloud of No. 5 parfum + EdP + Eau Premiere. Sometimes a fragrance can be a complete knock out. Ha!
Parfums Delrae Amoureuse makes the same sleepy magic for me. I think I’ll dab some on tonight.
I wish you all a very laaaaazy, relaaaaaxing, fraaaaagrant weekend.
Back to school fatigue is right! I worked 3 days this week prepping for the new school year, and I’m bushed! (Somehow, I’m not expecting much sympathy . . . )
You get kudos from me. 🙂 I teach elementary school music on a part-time schedule and see the work that goes on behind the scenes before and during a new school year. Amazing!
Being a teacher is tough, you can get kudos from me anytime.
How is the wedding planning?
Thanks. I know there’s lots of tough jobs out there, though, and a 3-day work week is a luxury.
We took a break from planning in August. We got sick of it, and of each other, for a while there! We will have to jump back in eventually, but now I will focus on school for a few weeks. Are you making any decisions, yet?
I’m with you on the sleep. I meant to get up early so I could check out the farmer’s market, but I ended up oversleeping by 3 hours!!! Definitely homework fatigue.
Your overdose of No. 5 sounds great. Have you ever compared the three? Which is your favorite?
I enjoy all of the No. 5’s. If I had to rank them as favorites it would be EdP first, the parfum, Eau Premiere, then the EdT.
My favorite way to wear No. 5 is a few dabs of parfum + a spritz or two of EdP. I also like parfum + Beige or parfum + Gardenia. I went a bit crazy buying samples a while back and have had fun playing with them.
Have a laugh as the Black Narcissus reviews Boy and No. 5 L’eau:
https://theblacknarcissus.com/2016/09/03/the-new-chanels-boy-2016-no5-leau-2016/
I can always be counted on to participate in laziness. Slept very late (at least for me) today. No reason other than maybe I wore myself out at IKEA yesterday and schlepping home with bags. Then late watching of first two episodes of Stranger Things.
Mitsouko today…just because. Haven’t worn it in quite a long time… It’s not vintage, and I think there’s something not as compelling about this formulation. But, I intend to wear it more this fall.
I’ll be inside much of the day cleaning and watching college football. Our place is so small I can do both at same time!
Husband is at Terrence Malick double feature. I begged off. Would rather watch football.
Yay for sleeping late and staying in, especially after IKEA. I could use a list of best-wake-up scents today.
Out of curiosity I sniffed my sample of Mitsouko this morning. Unusual, that one, and lovely, too.
I need to watch that show. So many people have recommended it. Do you like it so far?
I stopped at TJMaxx yesterday for a little fall wardrobe update and came away with two new sweaters and a pair of pants. Then came home and put two old sweaters and a pair of pants in the Goodwill pile. I have found this a good way to keep my wardrobe in check. Unfortunately, I don’t have the fortitude to do it with perfume.
I’m wearing Musc Tonkin today, from a sample, and either I’m not smelling all of it or my tolerance for skank is so high this is not registering. I get a warm musk, not heavy, and not urinous, fecal or animalic at all.
The big dog had a bath yesterday and I’m enjoying burying my face in his soft clean fur and smelling his popcorn feet.
I like your idea of “one in – one out” in principle but I get so attached to the things I wear (both clothes and perfume) that I keep them long past their prime (again, both 🙂 ) – I just stop wearing them.
My rule is that if I don’t wear it for a year, then it gets donated (suits and gowns don’t count). Also, I try to donate to local charities, such as my local library thrift shop or a non-profit organization for women professionals on welfare.
The rule could also apply to perfume (parfums and gifts don’t count), but I haven’t the heart to do it so far.
I’m currently staying at my parents’ house while our apartment is under repair and thought about suggesting this approach to my mother. Their house was built in the 20s and is on a smaller scale than today’s homes and has very little storage.
Every closet, drawer, cupboard, is packed to the gills and every inch of floor space covered with furniture. It drives me crazy. I had to clear out a closet and space in the bathroom to make room for us, and it was all just stuff that had accumulated and needed to be tossed out (some went to the Goodwill.) They’re not hoarders by any stretch – but to get a pan to cook in, you have to pull it from under a pile of 10 others and to find a vegetable peeler, sift through an 8″ deep drawer filled with kitchen gadgets, etc.
Our apartment was built in the 40s and we have the same issues. We recently did a massive cleanout, asking ourselves: if we were moving, would we take it with us? We got rid of truckloads of stuff, and some of the things we kept are now in storage (i.e., we don’t need dinner service for 15 – there are only 2 of us and we rarely have guests – 6 place settings will do.) Our space works much more efficiently now.
I am forever filling bags with stuff to drop off at the thrift store and returning things unless I absolutely love them. With my limited closet space, it’s a necessity. You’ve definitely got the right approach. It’s so easy to let things pile up and accumulate without even noticing it, and then think the problem is not enough storage – when really the issue is that you’ve got too many things you don’t need!
Maybe they need to Konmari?
Understand what you mean about overabundance causing difficulty locating things. My fiancé’s mother hoards things in the refrigerator and freezers (they have three). Whenever we visit it drives me crazy because you need to move everything out of the refrigerator to find anything.
One weekend I house-sat for them so I had to clean out the fridge. They had duplicate or even triplicates of almost every sauce (apparently they just keep buying sauces when they can’t find them in the front), and over half of the freezer food had freezer burn or was expired. I think limiting storage space is a good way to force someone to become more organized.
Good for you to do a major overhaul with your husband.
My Swedish ex had a rule, “One in, two out!” That Scandinavian minimalism does not come without rigor. While I liked it in theory, there’s a reason the relationship didn’t last. My current fragrance collection (even just the visible bit) would have sent him, screaming on the inside, running for the archipelago.
Oh, is this a Scandinavian thing? My father is of Danish heritage and has a VERY minimalistic style. His house feels more like a monk’s cell than a home, IMO. And even though his style is too sparse for my preferences, I’m seemingly always looking around my own home and wondering how I can pare down a bit more . . .
If anyone ever comments that I have too many perfumes, my answer will be “At least I don’t hoard cats.”
😀 Love this answer.
Hee! hee!
Exactly!
I get the same sweet and cozy musk and no filth from MT and love the way it blooms in warm weather. It’s really very versatile.
I admire one in, one out folk. I’m always finding new ways to wear my older things so hate to get rid of anything.
I’m not sure I get skank either from MT. Mostly it smells like a golden floral to me. A musky one. Something about it reminds me of Organza.
Bois d’Ascese today for an air conditioned car ride, now out in a beautiful day with small wafts of incense coming through.
After trips to the laundromat & supermarket in advance of Hermione’s wind and rain, I’m kicking back in Nuits de Scherrer and plotting to make oven-roasted tomatoes and bread pudding. Be safe this weekend, all.
Bread pudding! Yummo! Care to share your recipe?
Yes please share the recipe. Tartine bakery in SF has the most amazing bread pudding recipe (and the most amazing bread pudding IMHO)
Let’s see… Roughly tear 3 day-old Portuguese rolls into bite-size pieces and place them in a buttered baking pan. Mix in a large handful of dried cherries and sprinkle with 1/3 cup dark brown sugar. Pour 1 quart of custard (milk & beaten egg yolks) over all and bake in a 350F oven until crisp and browned like French toast. Drizzle w/ maple syrup to taste and serve warm. ????. Mangia!
Sounds delicious! Noting recipe.
Leftovers make a superlative breakfast, just so’s you and Clarissa know! 😉
Stay dry!
Thanks, Undina! Surprisingly, not a drop fell today– the wind was very strong and the sky very intimidating, but it remained dry. We’re hearing now that the storm will reach us Sunday PM. Wish us luck…
Mmm. I love bread pudding but limit myself to one serving of my MILs annual batch of panettone bread pudding. My husband doesn’t like it so I daren’t make it myself.
It is rather a special-occasion treat, isn’t it? Panettone pudding sounds amazing. I wonder if there is a single serving recipe you could enjoy…
I ended up ordering bread pudding for dessert last night. It’s all your fault (well, and the Makers Mark white chocolate sauce) 😀 It was wonderful.
Mmmm-mmmm-mmmmea culpa! 😀
SOTD is the lovely Azemour les Oranges due the kindness and generousity of Petunia!! Could this be another to add to my FB wish list?! I think so!
Happy weekend to all????
Deva! When do you depart for your family reunion? I am soooo excited for you.
I meant to respond to your comment yesterday about working the holiday weekend. When I first started working after college, my group used to have to put in a lot of overtime, including working some Saturdays and/or Sundays. On a rare weekend of not having to go to the office, I had dinner with a friend and her parents. Knowing my crazy work schedule, her dad asked me ” When pay day comes, does the pain go away?” At that time it did as I was hourly. I hope you get rewarded for working when most people aren’t. (And thanks for sending your storm our way.)
Hajusuuri!! I leave on the 19th and am very excited, too!! My aunt called today to make sure I didn’t get blown away????
Yeah, sorry about that storm, out of my control! I do get time and half for the holiday since I am a lowly staff RN, so that’s a pro. However, I’m feeling the need for change, and I’m working hard on making that happen. Have a great holiday.
LOVE Azemour – you smell fabulous!
Thank you!
SOTD – Rose 31. Was at Le Labo counter at my local Nordstrom and finally tried some of the city exclusives that I have not tried before. Still really want Vanille and debating Gaiac.
I tried LV new releases last night. i tried Rose des Vents – nice rose but not very unique, Dans La Peau – I thought I would really like it – Jasmine leather – and it was great for the first 10 mins but than not impressive, Matiere Noir – liked it a lot but is a second choice and Mille Feux. Mille Feux was true favorite – it is supposed to be raspberry leather and has noted of Osmathus – which is becoming a favorite note for me – I really liked it and will be coming back for a FB. I will be bringing it to a splitmeet as I do not need anything in 100 ml size. Staying power is great and I honk on the overall it is really well made.
Oooh, I will keep my eyes peeled for that split. We like most of the same perfumes so you’ve become my nose 🙂
Will ping you privately 🙂
Rose 31 is one of my favorites. When I tried Gaiac for the first time, I thought I liked it – so I bought a decant. I rarely wear it since: it’s not bad but just not special enough. Vanille 44, on the other hand, keeps me wishing it was a little bit less expensive as my second decant is almost gone.
If you like Rose and are not far from LV – I recommend trying their rose. If my parfume wardrobe was not skewed so much towards roses, I might be putting it in my FB list
Osmanthus is beautiful. I love how the perfume world has exposed me to so many scents I would have never known.
Wearing a bit of Grand Soir today…
Nice and spicy.
I have unscented sunscreen on and I find sunscreen, even unscented, is not a good base for fragrances in the way plain lotion is. But still I find the will to carry on… 😉
Oh, I have had some AW-FUL sunscreen/perfume incidences! It does not play well with others, in my experience! I’m impressed with your fortitude. 😉
I hate sunscreen. But I guess we have no choice 😉
I’ve been using a spray sunscreen from Sephore called Supergoop (very unappealing name) that smells minty for the first 10 minutes or so, but I find has very little odor after that. It makes whatever perfume I’m wearing last a really long time, I’m finding.
Getting together with my sisters today for our traditional chocolate bonanza at this amazing chocolate place. Unfortunately I have a bad tummy today so don’t think I’ll be able to indulge but will wear my most gourmand perfume to participate in spirit. Ambre Narguile or maybe Intense Cafe. Wish I still had my decant of Goumand Couquin, that would be perfect!
What a fun day for you and your sisters.
The Gourmand Coquin would definitely hit the spot 😉
The wind is whipping down the valley and roaring through the trees, a top note of whistling scream with a basenote of heavy surf. One of these days the neighbour’s big tree will come crashing through our roof….hopefully not today as that would be a drag.
Wearing Epice Marine from the Waterdragon sample…so extra wonderful. The birthday present phone arrived from China yesterday and ‘it does everything’ except fit into my pocket ( for when I go walking alone on the hills). i keep looking at it glumly and a plaintive voice in my head wails ‘go away, leave me alone!’ Will attempt to learn its features today….on, off, silent mode.
A huge oak tree toppled over in my neighborhood this week, probably owing to strong downdrafts from a passing thunderstorm. Earlier in its life, the tree had been pruned on the side next to a house, and the branches on the other sides had spread out, especially toward the sidewalk and street opposite the house. The uneven weight caused the tree to lean and even rotate on its axis as it grew. I’d been concerned about it for the last nine years, and thought it looked even more tilted the last year or two. It was a beautiful and graceful tree, but obviously doomed. Sad to see it go!
I wouldn’t have wanted to park a car under it, but people usually did because of the shortage of parking in the area. There’s a good chance a car or two was crushed, unless it happened during a workday. I hope no one was hurt.
I just went out and discovered the road is blocked by a fallen Plane tree. It’s sad when these big old trees go. I recently read the memoir Lab Girl and loved all the references to the inner workings of seeds and trees . Where i grew up in Christchurch there was an oak planted by Ernest Shackleton and it was possible to get the little wild seedlings from it …as a kid I thought that was very cool.
I know, they have so much beauty and character. Plus one mature shade tree is worth eight air conditioners! That book sounds interesting. Very cool about the Shackleton oak. Of the trees we have in my area, big, spreading oaks are my favs.
SOTD is Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille. It’s a few degrees cooler today, although LA autumn is far in the future, so I’m pretending. Also, it always feels like a treat to wear Double Vanille, so it’s my nod to a holiday weekend spent catching up on home projects put off during a fun, busy summer.
I couldn’t get my brain to work enough this morning to really think about perrfume (sacriledge, I know!) so I embraced the idea of a ‘lazy weekend’ and threw on some VS Rose Violet. Sometimes you just need something simple and nice smelling.
How is it college football season again already?
Happy weekend everyone! I’m sniffing my way through my latest batch of samples from TPC. I didn’t get any Guerlains from the STC sale, but went to TPC to get some very small decants of things I’d wanted to try for a while, in case they followed suit and stopped carrying Guerlain.
Rose Nacrée du Désert is definitely on the buy list next time I leave this hemisphere, and Oriental Brulant is tempting, but I need my cold to go away completely before I can really get a good sniff.
Hello! I’m back!
Sorry if I worried anybody, but rest assured I’m okay and doing well. Just been busy transitioning from working to being engaged to moving across the country to start graduate school. Yup, it’s been a busy month. Lots to say and catch up on, so apologies for the long post.
SOTD = Lolita Lempicka + Encre Noir
The vetiver tempers the sweetness, but is still effervescent enough to blend well with the rest of LL. Now I want a vetiver flanker.
Also, I was worried my collection since I had to leave it in my car for several days as I was driving from Oregon to Illinois. Thus far I haven’t noticed any turning, but I also haven’t unpacked all my bottles and samples. I’m waiting for a new apartment building to be constructed so I can move in to my reserved room and fully unpack. I’ll let you know the final verdict!
I have noticed that Illinois is significantly more humid than Oregon, which has seemed to tamp down on sillage. Most noticeable has been my summer go-to Prada Infusion d’Iris. I’ve been doing ~20 sprays (versus Oregon’s 5), but the longevity and sillage still doesn’t seem as great as in Oregon. I was shocked this morning when I discovered that the 100 ml bottle is already halfway gone. It may be the first full bottle that I drain… What was your first full bottle drain?
Also, I gave in to the Guerlain StC sale to get some Habit Rouge EdC and Terracotta. Both have been on my try list for a while, so I’m pretty excited! Did anybody else indulge?
First full bottle drained? Don’t remember…in my life time thus far the count is in the four hundreds…
Congratulations on your engagement! That’s wonderful. Many new things in your life to enjoy..
Welcome to the Midwest! I used to drain all my bottles, but stopped once I realized I might never see them again. Although, some that I have now, I wouldn’t really care. Probably my first drained was Lauren or Oscar de la Renta Ruffles. Ugh, I just remembered my age.
You are smart! Wish I would have kept sample vials of some of the lovelies I drained over the years…but then again I don’t think I would have been able to find/purchase vials back in the 70s and 80s as easily as I can now! And this comment is making me sound really old-LOL!
Hi SS – glad to see you posting again, and glad to hear you’re settling in there reasonably well. To answer your question, I used to be serially monogamous with fragrances so have drained many bottles over the years – the very first one was probably Aliage. Since I fell down the rabbit hole, though, the first and only FB drained is Gucci EDP (I’m on my third one-ouncer), although I’ve also drained two 15ml decants of Tabac Blond EDT, so equivalent to a small FB if Caron had ever produced the EDT in that size.
Keep us posted on how things are going for you!
Nice to see you! Sounds like a lot of great changes. Hope everything goes smoothly.
Interesting layering but I can see that working well. I always got a licorice note in Encre Noir.
My husband offered to take me shopping for a bottle of perfume today…yes i’m keeping him! We went to a store that carries several niche lines. Apparently, they’re discontinuing Eau d’Italie and had them half price. So, I picked up Baume du Doge and Paestum Rose for the price of one! Scored!
Ohh nice. These are such great choices!!
Awww.. sweet husband.
I love when my husband brings me home perfume samples from stores. I just picture him asking the SA for “a sample for my wife” and it warms my heart.
Good score! Congrats! Your husband sounds like a keeper.
I doused myself (5 sprays is a dousing for me :-p )with Theorema earlier today to manufacture some sunshine on a day where there isn’t much. I think a body cream I use absorbs instead of prolongs scent, so I’m going to have to pick another before the afternoon is through.
I’m wearing Bois d’Iris by the Different Company. I was inspired to re-test it when I saw it is on sale at luckyscent. It’s quite lovely, but wearing it reminds me mostly that I really want a bottle of Box of Eels.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Hermine blew through these parts yesterday, so we had a beautiful and relatively cool sunny day today. Stay safe and dry if you are further north.
Weather is so dramatic out there today. Very windy, cool and lots going on up in the sky. I thought I’d go out for a jog in a bit, but hate running when it’s windy. Maybe a fast walk is more like it.
I wore Juste Un Reve today trying to hang on to the last few days of summer.
SOTD is Amouage Fate Woman. Just finished the last of my decant and now time to crack open the FB that I purchased a while back. I got it at a great price from Lily Direct (no affiliation). Has anyone purchased from this website before?
Happy weekend to all ????
I bought Amouage Sunshine from them for an excellent price. Have since swapped it away as my hubby didn’t like it, but thought they were a good site.
I was looking at the site’s offerings a couple of times but I haven’t bought anything from them yet. My most recent amouages came from beautyspin.com – also good prices, though I haven’t compared these two.
Ugh, Sunday already and time to pack for Paris. At least the work being done around the UK house is coming to an end – until this finishes, it isn’t practical to stay out in Paris over the weekends, which was the original plan.
Started the day in Waters + Wild Tuberose, now in SOTD “Ambre Russe” by Jovoy.
Top: Champagne and Vodka;
Mid: Tea, cinnamon, coriander, birch, juniper and leather;
Base: Incense, musk and amber.
Ambre Russe is interesting and well made, but we haven’t made an emotional connection just yet. :^)
I thought I’d love that one, but the alcohol notes were too persistent on me, and I got an overall medicinal effect which made me slightly queasy in the end.
I know that Jovoy sells Ambre Russe by Parfum d’Empire (notes sound familiar too). Have they also released perfume with the same name in their own line?
Setting aside the ownership of the perfume, in general for me amber scents work much better in cooler weather.
Ha, well spotted! It’s PdE’s “Ambre Russe” that I got as a sample in Jovoy, sorry for the mis-attribution! :^(
At the airport I looked at the Miller Harris stand and now have “Vetiver Insolent” on the back of one hand and “La Fumée” on the back of the other. Both good, but La Fumée is dying down too fast and I already have 3 FBs of vetiver scents (Sycomore, V. Tonka and Guerlain V.) “So why try another vetiver?” you ask, reasonably. “Because it was there! Because by some miracle it might have been THE vetiver. Who knows why?”, I answer, wondering to myself.
Plane delayed 40 minutes = sign from Universe to go back and buy the MH travel set. 3x14ml of Feuilles de Tabac, La Fumée and Le Petit Grain. “A fool and his money are soon parted”. :^)
Oh, that sounds great! I have La Fumee (an impulse purchase) and I can’t decide if it actually dies out or if I can’t smell it very well and quickly become completely anosmic to it. I love La Pluie, Geranium Bourbon, and Fleurs de Sel. Haven’t yet tried your other two, so I hope you’ll report back!
Good morning! Sunny and cool this morning. Feels good right now, but might be the calm before the storm. A friend who has a house in Rockaway is very anxious, having just finished repairs from hurricane Sandy. I hope everyone is spared any damage.
Yesterday was Tauer Rose Delight. This morning I’m testing out Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse 3 Animale. Interesting tuberose+ dark notes of honey, immortelle and tobacco. I was thinking it would become a muddled, soupy, sweet mess, but so far it’s holding up. I like it and it’s definitely interesting. Will make a good cool weather white floral.
I went and tested out SJP Stash. All I really got from iit was incense. I can not bear the smell of incense, or for that matter, any burning smell. Because, I never learn, I sprayed it on the back of my hand. Stash, never changed for hours. I finally washed it off. I did think it was well done, and for those who like smokey smells, it’s worth a try.
I am hoping to try Stash later today. I think it is going to get mixed reviews. The two reviews on the Ulta website gave it one star each. They may not have been perfumistas, but it may not bode well for the longevity in stores.
I am testing my Hiram Green samples and wearing Moon Bloom today. It is lovely, but I really connected with Voyage yesterday. I wish they lasted a little longer. I am dabbing from samples, if you have the spray do you find there is any difference?
I tried to order one more thing from the STC Guerlain sale, but found it would still cost me $20.00 (US) to have 5ml mailed to Canada, so I decided I didn’t want it that badly.
Someone asked the other day about “thunder shirts” for cats and dogs to wear during storms. We have them for our cats and they help a lot, but we had one for our dog and he hated it. It seems to depend on the individual pet.
Enjoy the last long weekend of the summer if you are in the Northern Hemisphere!
I asked about them in reference to cats. Good to know your experience. They don’t seem that phased by thunder, but wondering if it would calm them for car rides to the vet which really stresses out one of our kitties.
Yes, we use them for that, too, and it helps.
Good to know, thanks!
Voyage is beautiful….have not tried Moon Bloom…
I’ve never heard about thundershirts before! Thank you! I will research it more: it might be a good present for my cat for the next year’s 4th of July (he’s terrified of fireworks). Thank you! (Who could have thought a perfume forum might be so useful! 😉 ).
🙂
Happy Sunday, y’all!
My last purchase arrived on Friday (big box from Eden Botanicals) and have spent the last two days exploring and reacquainting myself with these gorgeous essential oils…
made a blend with lavender absolute, fir balsam, immortelle and labdanum and am wearing that today…
Tomorrow I may wear my osmanthus, yuzu, vanilla, “apricot” isolate, frankincense and labdanum blend…it is amazing how “leathery” osmanthus can smell…
also will be blending tuberose fine with bourbon vanilla and organic bergamot and coconut pulp…
not sure yet what I am going to do with my frangipani absolute…suggestions??
First day of tea week and I’must wearing Philosophy Tea Leaf.
Thank you to everyone who left the wonderful birthday wishes the other day. They made my day!
Hajusuuri, The No 22 I used the other day is from a carded sample that She-ra generously sent to me. I would assume it is the modern iteration. I have also tried the extrait but I think that I prefer the EDT. I haven’t had the opportunity to try vintage, have you? If so, which do you prefer?
The weather is gorgeous today in the low 70s with no humidity, for once. My SOTM was Safran Troublant which was from another sample given to me by Deva. Another beautiful, if fleeting, scent. I found a bottle on Amazon for a steel; Happy birthday to me. ???? I’m heading outside to bask in the lovely day but first a spritz of something new. Possibly Coromandel or one of my other heavy hitters to celebrate the day.
I also bought Safran Troublant from Amazon, and still waiting for delivery!
Happy Birthday Petunia!
Enjoy your new bottle! Mine came in within two days…very quick!
Nice gift for yourself! Enjoy????
Thanks Elisa! I need to email you about your package.
Safran Troublant – such a nice, and hes, fleeting perfume. I am new to No.22 so so far the current formulation is fabulous. I’m wonderiing if it is worth getting the vintage. I probably already have one partial bottle somewhere but I really have not taken the time to inventory my vintage collection.
Love your new avatar. What a sweetie. Please let me know when snd if you find it. I may be all wet but the current No 22 reminds me of ESL White Linen. At least the WL that I used to wear back in the day.
I almost didn’t recognize you with that avatar! Is it your dog? 🙂
Good morning, all. I have to see a cardiologist today, and I’m not allowed any tea or coffee, because they are stimulants and might affect my heart in some way. Hmmmph. I can tell you that doing without my nice, hot cups of tea is stimulating me far more than drinking them ever does, and not in a good way! I’m sitting here in a Waterdragon-shaped grump with a bottle of water that I’ve come to HATE. It hasn’t done anything except to be itself, the poor useless boring, un-teaful thing that it is, and I loathe it. Not even a hefty dose of gorgeous Maharanih is sweetening my mood. I love and adore Maharanih, but I WANT TEA! Hope your days are better than mine, and absolutely FULL of as much tea and coffee as you want!
Oh dear, good luck with the cardiologist; that can’t be any fun. And sympathy for the tea withdrawal (which is a real thing, with attendant headaches and all). You may find hot water with lemon, or herbal teas, of some use, although they can’t address the withdrawal.
Lemon! yes, I fancy that…I still want some of Mr Dilmah’s best, but in the meantime, lemon will make the water less smugly bland. I think that the cardiologist will be fine–no he probably IS fine–what I mean is that after that faint a few weeks back, the dear man wants me to get a Warrant of Fitness. He’s all twizzled up inside about me. Truly, I am not expecting anything to come from this except the certain knowledge that, yes, I am addicted to tea. Coffee I like; tea I need.
Am I the only lover of Maharanih on NST? I think it’s gorgeous, but I seem be the only one wearing it.
Maharanih is on my to-sample list (as is Maharadjah). I’m with you on tea. I like coffee a lot, but tea is a necessity for living.
Good luck at the cardiologist. In my experience going to the doctor is generally apotropaic, so it’s better to go and confirm that you’re OK. ????
Just testing to see if my new gravatar works….
Cookies?
This was a picture of a “care package” I sent to a family member in college…..brownies, fruit tarts and macaroons from my local bakery…the woman is Italian and makes everything from scratch and all natural ingredients. Maybe I should have gone with the picture of the lavender buttercream mini cake she made for me? And with my username what did you expect-LOL! I like my sweets!
I am old and I am so afraid of technology but yesterday I sat my skinny butt down and set the whole thing up by myself because I remember you saying that if we did not like our new avatar we could customize it….I had to add an 8 to my name but I am still basically the same 🙂 Glad to see that it went through because for a long while it read as “comment waiting moderation”….
Hey, nice care package! And sorry I took so long to approve it, was out of town yesterday 🙂
I made part of the morning into ‘Sunday Spa Day’ and am now chillin’ in Jicky.
Yesterday I got a card sprayed with SJP Stash. Holy cow, it’s got longevity and sillage. The card sat on my desk for a while before I moved it, and–get this–I could still smell it quite strongly *on the desk* as I was going to sleep last night…and when I woke up this morning!
Mitsouko for this lovely weekend day. I am making a five year plan for, well, the next five years… in perfume related items, someone here mentioned Tauer Rose Delight. Is this new? I am so interested…
It’s a limited edition fragrance oil. Sort of a spicy gourmand rose without the usual Tauerade. Most people seem to like it, as do I.
Happy weekend, hope everyone’s has gone well even if you don’t get the extra day the Americans have.
SOTD is Salome, it’s beautiful but seems to disappear on me. I’m sure it’s not gone, I just can’t smell it. When I smell the jasmine in it I want to huff it so it’s probably my own fault.
Cumin and clove and jasmine, then I must be anosmic to something which makes me sad. I hope at least I smell pretty for everyone around me.
Husband says it smells like a certain kind of retail establishment that sells toys for adults, soooo…
I really think it’s beautiful but it doesn’t give me the ridiculous joy that Bogue MAAI does. It doesnt seem like “me” somehow – this is for someone who knows how to be a woman, heh. Ok, mini review over!