It's Trick Friday! Our community project for today: wear a fragrance that smells entirely different from its name (or feel free to interpret "trick" in some other way). Hat tip to Happy888cat for the idea!
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I'm wearing Lolita Lempicka Sweet. The trick: despite the name (and the visuals), it smells more like a chocolate-cherry Lipsmacker than a calorific dessert, and in comparison with your average modern gourmand, it's a lightweight.
Reminder: 10/28 will be Treat Friday — wear a fragrance that reminds you of candy. Suggested by Happy888cat.
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.
Forgot about the theme today, but wearing Amber Pour Homme Intense (Prada). It doesn’t smell “intense” to me, more like expensive shaving cream. Love it.
You smell great!
You smell swooningly beautiful
Up entirely too early for a work meeting and a long commute so I made a quick decision this morning.
Trick SOTD Organza Indecence which is entirely decent and about as safe as one can get wearing a lightly spiced Creamsicle- though it’s quite a delicious treat.
TGIF and looking forward to seeing some of you at the Sniffa events this weekend!
OI is a favorite of mine, but I’ve never gotten Creamsicle from it. For me, its ‘trick’ is that sometimes its a warm, comforting cinnamon pudding and at other times, it’s darn sexy, spicy, and woody. I love it either way!
Huh. I mostly get a custardy vanilla with hints of orange and spice, pretty much every time. But, yes, it’s pretty easy to like and I did get a compliment on it!
I’m in Serge Lutens Cèdre, which smells of tuberose.
If I’d had a sample of that lying around, it would have been my choice — the name is purely a joke, as far as I can tell, because pretty much all I can smell in it is tuberose.
Yum!
I shall wear Chinatown! Because… well have you ever been to Chinatown?
LOL! so true…the Chinatown in NYC smells nothing like the Bond no 9!
and you smell lovely, by the way
Great choice!
Where’s the dried fish and smoked duck?
That’ll be under the Beaufort London label (and I’ll probably buy it) :^)
Ha!!
Haha!
You guys are killing me!
LOL
Right? That does NOT smell like any Chinatown I have visited!
Iris Poudre which does not smell like powder to me but perhaps it does to others. Or maybe I miss interpreted the name.
You smell great – powder or not!
Agreed!
This was easy: Guerlain Cruel Gardenia! It’s neither cruel nor gardenia. It smells like expensive French milled neroli soap. Love it.
If this poll had taken place in the summer I’d have chosen L’Artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubereuse.
You’re right: no gardenia and no cruelty. Very pretty, though.
I almost went with Cruel Gardenia today – exactly for these reasons
But the last moment I thought of perfume that was even better for the theme (for me).
ELdO Sécretions Magnifiques is a tricksy thing. It’s not magnificent, to say the least. It’s genuinely strange and unpleasant, more a Dadaist joke than a proper scent — milk, iodine-y seaweed, copper, possibly iris (the least appealing of all the flowers, to my nose). I’m so surprised this is still being manufactured: they surely can’t be selling much of it. I’m wearing it right now but I’m about to go shower it off and put on something decent, probably SL Jeux de Peau, no trick all treat.
Props to you for your sacrifice! I’ve never smelled it and don’t think I want to.
Don’t.
You have no idea how much this one-word reply made me laugh.
Because I concur.
Oh my gosh; nearly choked on my coffee!! Making. It’s now to never smell this one…!
Hillarious!
????
Oh goodness… so. much. copper. I’m impressed you even managed to put it on in the first place. That’s true commitment to the theme.
I was so tempted to go for Secretions too but I just can’t. I don’t even know why I am keeping the decant… I applaud to your bravery!
Wait… How did it happen that you have a decant of it in the first place?! You thought that you might like it, so you skipped the sample phase and went directly to decant?
I think Jeux de Peau still fits. On my skin it smelled exactly like the Karmel Korn store at the mall. Surely that’s not “skin games”?
And like others, I applaud your bravery and commitment!
You win, even if you scrub it off (but if memory serves, it does not scrub off easily) .
It does not. I washed my hands and wrists six or seven times, really laid into them, and I could still smell it (though not strongly) when I was done. A hefty dose of Chypre Rouge made it all better, though (like five spritzes).
Shalimar…
oh wait!
I have been tricked!
Kashnoir perfume
Ha, that is funny!!!
That is a good one! How do you like it, anyway?
I’m in Eau de Courreges. I’m tricking myself into believing I’m enjoying a monitor on a summer day rather than a cold rainy autumn day. The mint and lime are blended perfectly.
A… monitor?
Ohhhh, there’s the trick.
Your autocorrect mangled mojito, right?
Great catch. I missed that but will now claim that was my trick. Indeed I meant mojito. Great smelling stuff and I’m glad to see a growing resurgence of an innovative design house.
And I though you were being sarcastic
Having my work closely related to computers, I have to “enjoy” my monitor in all kinds of weather.
Egyptian Bergamot Rose…Pacifica played a trick on me when they discontinued this beauty several years ago
Aw!
I had a bar of the soap before it was discontinued. The scent reminded me of something, but now I guess I’ll never know what…
Stash. I can’t think of anything that makes the name appropriate and yes, I’ve read the backstory but still… I keep thinking of how awful a mustache feels *shudder* I’m seriously thinking of relabeling my bottle since the label is so easy to remove and will probably fall off eventually.
Lol, I hadn’t even thought “mustache,” but now I will forever!
I thought of wearing Stash today too, because you’re right….the name just doesn’t match!
Ha! Because my mind is still 12 years old, I always think of a stash of pot, which is NOT what Stash smells like at all!
It’s a better association than a moustache, though
In my mind, it’s a reference to hoarding/collecting/hauling, which I think of in terms of buying makeup (and perfume.)
Seems like I went exactly opposite direction picking my sotd compared to a theme of this Friday.
I’m in SAS Amber Incense. And it smells exactly like its name.
Did you mean SSS Amber Incense?
Yes. Stupid autocorrect turned it into airlines
Happy Friday, everyone!
I’m wearing the last of a sample of SL Chypre Rouge, which to me smells neither red nor chypre-ish (maybe a little if I realky try to talk myself into it). I would call it a woody oriental, maybe, that smells orangey-brown (sienna?) But what do I know, I like my chypres to have a bucket of oakmoss and this has maybe a pinch.
I also dont particularly like this composition, so I shant be purchasing more. but I gotta give everything a fair shot!
It definitely isn’t a chypre — no oakmoss worth talking about — but I adore it: it’s the first full bottle of a Lutens I ever bought. (I had to choose between that and Un Bois Vanille, and I chose the strange one rather than the nice approachable one.) It’s sort of red, though, if you consider the wine gums and stewed fruit in the top note to be red.
I’m gonna go put some on right now!
Ooh I wish it smelled that way on me! I get no stewed fruit, more like dried ground orange peel and orange Pez. But I’m one if those weirdos who loves Arabie and Aziyade, because they smell like stewed fruit to me.
I might not have the world’s most sophisticate nose, those two club one over the head with stewed fruit (and cumin)!
Hope it will clear away the Secretions Magnifique!
I chose Chanel Beige because to me, this fragrance is anything but. Thia was a hard challenge. I probably picked the same as several others today.
You smell great!
Amazing!
I like and wear this perfume but for me it does fit its name. Probably because I’m a strange person who actually likes that color
I’m wearing Le Labo Aldehyde 44. It was their exclusive for one of the US stores, but I was lucky enough to buy it in the UK during one of their promotional events. It is discontinued now, which is a great shame – personally, I think their line-up is poorer for it. It’s like nothing else I own, and it has that soapy-powdery burst, that I imagine quite a few people would be put off by. But I love it.
I guess the trick is to hunt for it on ebay these days…
It was the Dallas exclusive. I smelled it years ago and I’m still kicking myself for not buying some. IIRC, I spent my money instead on some excruciating but beautiful shoes that I never wear and may not even have anymore. The follies of youth.
I know the feeling! I too have a graveyard of beautiful, expensive and barely-worn shoes. For some of them, I still remember how much I paid…
Oh yes. I am looking at a closet full of sexy, sexy shoes that maybe worn once out OR in the bedroom; so silly!
One of the few Le Labos I really liked (the only other one being Lys 41). Shame it’s gone… but I have my Iris Poudre and am muddling on, not overmourning my empty 5ml decant of Alde44.
Iris Poudre is a great one too!
Maybe next time there’s a swapmeet I’ll host one with Aldehyde 44, there’s a thought. We’ll find like-minded aldehyde lovers!
I think if you have an empty bottle they will continue to refill it until they run out of the oils at each boutique….
I think most Le Labos would fit the challenge – they often don’t smell like the star ingredient.
Hermessences, too, though it doesn’t look like anyone went that route.
Hiram Green Dilettante. The definition that came to mind is a ” dabbler” and the rich, orange blossom perfume is another beautifully fragrance by a perfumer who is completely serious and purposeful about his work. Although Dilettante is a fruity floral and more summery than, Voyage, for instance, there is really nothing lighthearted in it’s rich composition.
Scent twin!!
It’s a good thing for us that Hiram Green so far limits the number of releases
.
I’m wearing YSL Champagne that used to be perfectly named. The trick is that it’s no longer called that. Yvresse has a related meaning, but it’s not the same!
Yvresse is an even better name, I feel, because “ivresse” means “drunkenness” with an overtone of “giddy euphoria”, and of course changing the first letter to a Y alludes to Yves Saint Laurent’s first name (and ties it to Y, the first scent from the house and also a chypre).
But whatever. You smell so good!
Ah, it’s a failure to understand the nuances of French, then. I knew yvresse meant “drunkenness” and that felt too strong compared to champagne. But the overtone of “giddy euphoria” sounds fitting. Anyway, I absolutely love it and personally, I think it smells like a somewhat sinister bellini.
Pyramus is right. Just checked Larousse. First meaning is “overexcited state due to over ingestion of alcohol or sedatives”. Second meaning is “Excited, euphoric state caused by a strong feeling, emotion or passion”.
I actually preferred Champagne but Yvresse is a great name too. And you smell great.
Sinister Bellini! Ha! Is that like an under-dressed Cosmo?
SOTD is Maria Candida Gentile “Noir Tropical”, picked and packed before the community theme was announced. Notes are bergamot, almond, vanilla and rum, and it will suit those who like a rich dark vanilla, especially if they also like it to die after half a day. :^)
There’s a ‘sort-of’ trick angle: almost every reviewer finds an ‘extra’ note that isn’t listed officially – for some it’s patchouli, for others smoke. For me there’s an almost incense quality. Not bad for a 4-note perfume I think!
I chose Guerlain Vol de Nuit. To me it smells nothing like a night flight (whether a packed commercial flight or open-cockpit bi-plane) – it reminds me more of a bookstore in a mall next door to a perfume shop. On me it’s slightly paper-y and woody-violet-y. It’s nice, but rather pale. I should probably try this one in extrait.
I have an old bottle and night flight does not come to mind for me either
Yes, old book store with old leather couches. Perfect.
You smell lovely.
I thought it was a reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his flights and adventures in Africa? I could swear I read that somewhere.
I read that somewhere, too. I LOVE Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Have you read Wind, Sand, and Stars?
My favorite book. Love St. Exupéry.
I had a sample of LL Sweet once, but I can’t find it anywhere. There’s a special soft spot in my heart for the scent of lip products and also scents that mimic cosmetics.
Wearing Vol de Nuit Evasion. Both a trick because it doesn’t even pretend to be related to Vol de Nuit, and a treat because it’s so rich and delicious.
More than just a trick; apparently Vol de Nuit Evasion is actually the same as Guerlain’s Attrape-coeur, which is another name for Guet-Apens. Did they really issue the same perfume under three different names?
They certainly did, with the minor aside that technically Vol de Nuit Évasion was the EDT version of the EDP original(s).
I can’t tell the difference between Attrape Coeur and Guet-Apens, personally. Vol de Nuit Evasion is an EDT (but a strong one!) and it’s a bit different, but similar enough that I don’t think you’d need both VdNE and AC/GA in your collection.
They released the same perfume under FOUR different names – it was also a Harrod’s exclusive for a while under the name Royal Extract!
Happy FriYAY!
My tricky fragrance is my new love, Bvlgari Black. Smoky lapsong tea tricks the nose! “Rubber tires” are not a listed note, after all!
I was also thinking of wearing my sample of Halloween perfume, which is misnomered big time. But I don’t like it enough to smell it all day!
I get new bicycle tires and new sneakers out of it, so there’s that.
It’s crazy how good Black smells!
Thank you for the reminder: it’s time to wear Black again.
Black Opium, because it is neither black or opium. For what it is though, I like it.
That one makes me think of YSL Cinema rather than Opium!
I haven’t smelled Cinema since it came out, I really should seek it out.
I don’t have much that seems mis-named as I look around… so, I chose Bill Blass Nude, simply because it has more heft than the name would imply.
Scents of the day are Eau de Guerlain under Library of Flowers Moon Shadow.
Here’s the trick:
eau de cologne + jasmine soliflore = Guerlain Apres l’Ondee
It’s a near perfect match and quite a nice surprise.
Wow- that is cool!
Thank you very much for accepting my suggestion Robin!
SOTD: Not A Perfume + Narciso Rodriguez For Her….or I think I am anyway.
With all that anosmia going on, I may just be spraying on watered down alcohol. I will never know…. I don’t know how they are suppose to smell on their own so layering them might be a bad idea to those that can actually smell them. If they clash, then definitely all trick and no treat!
I’ve never smelled Not a Perfume but I am also totally anosmic to the NR. Having tried it several times I just can’t smell anything!
The only perfume that makes my throat close up! So I never even try to smell it.
Mistral Patchouli today, by farmy favorite of the AC line. It didn’t smell strongly of patchouli at all though. Instead you get grapefruit and star anise in wonderful harmony.
I love Mistral Patchouli. You smell great!
Good one. I don’t get any patchouli from it either (I mostly get black peppercorns.)
I’m wearing Olivier Durbano Heliotrope. With a name like that, you would be expecting a powdery floral. But you would be wrong, because there is apparently a stone called heliotrope as well (who knew) and this is an incense perfume.
That sounds very interesting. I am sure you smell great.
Can you name some heliotrope centered perfumes you like? I am intrigued by the note and trying to figure out where to locate it.
It’s in a lot of stuff, I like it in L’Eau d’Hiver, Après l’Ondée, Kenzo Amour, Cuir Beluga and Mona di Orio Musc.
I don’t know that these are necessarily heliotrope-forward, but when I think of heliotrope it’s Cuir d’Ange and Esprit d’Oscar that come to mind.
I’ll add LouLou, ALOF What We Do in Paris is Secret, L’Heure Bleu, and CB Tardes.
I’m wearing what has become my go-to fragrance, when I just want something that I love. I’m wearing Demeter Tomato because I love it’s spicy greenness. Maybe the trick is how much it actually smells of a tomato plant?
A number of Demeters are tricks in that sense: they smell so staggeringly like their namesakes that you can’t quite believe you’re smelling a perfume. Their Gingerale is insane — it smells carbonated.
Robin, we’ll be scent twins today. My mind has been in a fog lately, and I wasn’t sure where to go with the theme this week. When I came on NST this morning, I was happy to see the chocolate covered cherry visual, and I had a feeling you were going to go with LL Sweet.
After a workout and shower, I will go with LL Sweet also
The gold lips were a giveaway! Glad we’re twins.
My trick scent: Bubblegum Chic by Heeley. It’s a trick, because based on the description, notes and review, I should absolutely hate it. However, I got a free sample in a luckyscent order, tried it, and fell in love. Starting to save my pennies.
For the project, I wore (reissued) Le Galion Snob. I had no experience with the original so the name made me think it would possibly be an oriental or spicy scent but it’s a beautiful and crisp floral. Love this one.
I should check this out!
I love it but it can be hard to find.
Snob is very beautiful. I have a small vial of the original, and I’m hording it. Maybe I should just use it up and enjoy….
Use it!!!
Happy Friday!
1) I spilled coffee on my lovely grey jeans. Spent 5 minutes in the bathroom at work rinsing; but I now have an aura of coffee about me.
2) In Jo Malone Incense+Cedrat. It’s a delicious and beautiful scent, but here are the tricks: 1) it’s more woody/soapy than incense 2) it lasts for maybe 1 hour, before dying down to barely delectable skin scent 3) It’s $180 for a full bottle.
Nah, bruh/sis- get yourself a bottle of Sycomore (woodsy/herbally) OR Coromandel (oriental incensey-woodsy) FOR THE SAME DAMN PRICE.
That is ONE hell of a trick!
I can think of worse things to smell of than coffee… (I’d be more bothered by the wet jeans.)
It was not bad at all- just disconcerting! Combined with m y perfume it was NOT what I had planned, but not bad at all!
Ditto that on Sycomore!
Cpmared to some lines it really is kinda shocking what value the Chanels can be, if you can afford it. If you wanna be cheap you can always go for Encre Noir, I think.
Actually, coffee + incense + cedar sounds delightful to me. I wish there were more fragrances with a coffee note!
It was not bad, honestly! I may make a scent called Spilled Coffee- notes: coffee, vanilla, sweet cream, incense, vetiver and amber.
I’m starting off the day in Infusion d’Iris, from my original 5ml mini that for some reason has lasted rather a while even though I love this perfume and wear it often. The trick? I tried to buy a full bottle some time ago, from a discounter, and it was either counterfeit or had been stored under some ungodly conditions that had seriously altered it. Then I tried to buy a purse spray from Ebay, and that turned out to have yet a *different* smell. And I’ve heard that the original has been recently reformulated, so here I am, nursing my mini bottle and feeling tricked.
Aw! I feel so bad for you! This is why I simply don’t trust buying from eBay anymore for cosmetics- Cthulu only knows what you are going to get!
Sorry to hear it. I bought mine at fragrancenet and it was fine (and good price to boot)
I had the same sort of experience with Perry Ellis 360º Black. I smelled it in a store on vacation and I couldn’t get it out of my head, so I ordered some from a discounter and got a 100-mL bottle and a 15-mL mini, both of which smelled different from and inferior to my (vivid) memory of the store tester and also different from one another.
Ugh, it’s always the way isn’t it? Just for perfume-science purposes, today I ordered an inexpensive 30 ml Infusion d’Iris EdP from a seller on Amazon. I’ll report back once I get to smell it. It’s a gamble but one I’m having fun with. I may even take it to a department store and do a side by side comparison for fun.
Oh, dear. I’ve just had a similar experience with Infusion d’Iris — my new, large FB (also from a discounter) doesn’t smell much at all like my now-empty tiny one (that has been stored in its box, in a temperature-controlled room, the entire time I’ve owned it). I wish I had the nose to articulate the difference. It is still a perfectly decent scent, but I no longer crave it the way I used to. Drat.
Not feeling too great today and too tired to care much, so I just sprayed all that was left of the Super (nothing) Cedar sample from Byredo on. I even sprayed my clothes thoroughly and smell nothing. I’ve definitely been tricked.
Ugh, hope you’re not getting what we’re fighting over here.
I hardly smell anything either when I wear this. Clearly anosmic to something.
Put on PG Bois Blond from my dwindling decant as it was on my mind. Let’s see – I guess the trick here is that I can’t tell if it’s still in production. It doesn’t come up on the PG site. It was a limited edition originally.
It’s discontinued, I believe but it still seems to be available at Luckyscent. If you want some, I’d buy before they run out.
I’m sorry to admit that I’m not participating today because I’m going to a memorial service this afternoon and just wanted something subtle and pretty. So SOTD is Chanel No. 5 dry body oil. I do highly recommend the body oil, it’s very beautiful.
Subtle beauty in sadness. I hope you have good memories at the memorial of your friend.
I agree- I have some of the dbo, and it is really subtle and well behaved. I never do my whole body, but when I just want a whiff of No 5, as you do today, it is perfect. Very day friendly if someone needs to be light handed. I like it much better as a “thin” but still there version of No 5 than the new L’eau.
I am wearing SL Une Voix Noire. I don’t see the Noire in this, it is light, floral and calming.
It’s incredibly rare that a scent with “black” in the name is black at all (Bulgari Black being the notable exception). Generally, unless a scent has “green” in the name, I wouldn’t count on its being anything like the colour you expect it to.
The color of the juice and the big grape note make it seem noir to me, but I agree it’s more pretty than dark.
I am not participating in today’s community project since I left in a rush this morning to work. I overslept. I grabbed a sample of Smell Bent She Wolf that I am wearing now and I do not like it. Too sweet for my taste. Lots of vanilla, musk and patchouli. Perhaps it is good for today since it is keeping me awake. With that and plenty of coffee I will survive the day
no tricks here. Ann Gerard Cuir de Nacre.
No tricks from me. Just a wonderful perfume and probably my favourite from the Malle line, Une Fleur de Cassie.
After a couple of days with some serious rain, it’s now gloriously sunny, and wonderful outside, with colours to die for. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
you smell great. whenever I smell/wear this one I always think it gives off a bohemian chic vibe.
It’s one of my spine stiffening scents.
I picture myself sitting under a blooming acacia tree in Phoenix!! Oh I LOVE THIS perfume. The same location contained bitter orange trees…. I went to perfume Mecca unknowingly and returned a changed woman!!!
( I kept saying I think I smell jasmine …. and maybe some almond)
The smell through the breeze was truly heavenly.
Thanks for the memory
You smell great.
I’m wearing Lady Million which smells like Lady Ten Dollars. The gaudy bottle agrees.
LOL!
Totally and literally laughed out loud!
????
Haha!!One click of a finger and you’re in a Spider with a hot man,remember!!That’s the trick!First click then spray.????????
Excellent!!
SOTD is not for the challenge – it could be though: Cuir de Lancome. I’ve not worn this in months, but today’s hot/cold & sunny/cloudy, and drizzly/dry fall weather seems perfect for this. I’d say it’s only about 1/3 or less of a demure leather to my nose, and mostly a lovely powdery dry iris. If it was Iris de Lancome, it would work just as well.
SOTD – Dilettante (which my brain is tricking me into saying Debutante). Hiram Green’s perfumes play a trick on me – until I discovered his work, gardenia, touberose, orange blossom were a no no for me. 99% are still no no but he tricked me into liking Shangri-la, moon bloom and dilettante.
I am wearing LL Vetiver 46 which is really about incense and not vetiver.
I’m in Larmes Du Desert, because my decant was on my dresser and easy to grab as I raced through the morning.
But if I had to pick a perfume that does not smell like its name, yesterday, it would have been Arquiste’s L’Etrog. Lovely uber generous Laura sent me a copious amount of this stunner. L’Etrog–Without knowing what etrog means, it sounds vaguely froggy. L’Efrog? Green, muddy? Not this beauty.
BUT, I just did a little research and I couldn’t be more wrong. Apparently L’Etrog is the ancient Hebraic name for a beautiful citrus tree, whose fruit is part of the baskets set for Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival. Blessing the etrog fruit, which looks similar to a lemon, is part of the festival ceremony. L’Etrog perfume, which is the scent of dry, rocky hills and flowering trees, and sweet citrus is a dead ringer for “fruit of a beautiful tree.” A completely fitting name for this one. I live and learn!
L’Etrog sounds really beautiful! But now you put a smile on my face because all I can think of is Kermit L’Efrog.
I’ve never smelled that one but yes, the etrog is translated to what is currently called a citron. It’s very thick and dimply skinned with little pulp or fruit. I think its mosty used for preserves. And it is currently the holiday of Sukkot so your timing is impecable!
Note to self: do not read Oakland’s posts. You have added another thing to try to my long long list
I know what the name means, but still think it sounds froggy!
SOTD is SL De Profundis, which smells exactly the opposite of what the name conjures for me. This is one of my most joyful and uplifting scents – not in the least bit funereal.
HAGW everyone!
The name sounds like an engine additive, but D600 is a lovely woody iris vanilla/musk. My no-brainer perfume, too.
Lovely.
I believe we have a store in town that carries this line, i’m going to have to give it a try…
Thank you!!! For a long while I couldn’t figure out why I disliked the name so much while I really liked the perfume when I tried it. I agree: it sounds too… industrial.
Brain too fried from a long week to think on theme. Wearing a little Kiste, peachy tobacco goodness, but just from a dabber – although you don’t need much! Later will switch to something been calming for some tense Friday afternoon meetings. Not sure what yet.
I’m wearing Thierry Mugler Oriental Express, from a sample that I got from the ever-generous hajusuuri, who is the best. It’s not necessarily tricky itself, though I could probably trick somebody into thinking I’m wearing Shalimar.
Or vintage Emeraude or vintage Chantilly….I doused myself in this one as I finished the last drop from the every generous hajusuuri and I keep returning to my drawer to sniff the sweater it is on
that would be ever…not every…there is only one hajusuuri!
BTW, I smelled the current version of Chantilly the other day. It has really changed, and does not smell at all like Oriental Express, or Chantilly. A real shame.
what a shame…as it would be a great cheaper alternative
this is why I am so ambivalent of trying some of the perfumes I wore so many years ago…facing that disappointment….
Yes, that’s the trick! And yes, hajusuuri is the best!
No tricks for me today, just treats.
First treat is Grand Soir. Second treat is Bob Dylan. Third treat is it’s almost the weekend! Boy howdy, that’s a great lineup ????
Have a great weekend with all the lovely treats!
I was going to wear Slumberhouse Sana since it tends to be tricky for me to wear but it wasn’t cooperating so I’m back in Iris Ganache today
It’s a yucky rainy day in NYC today. I shouldn’t complain though — it’s Friday, we need the rain and Sniffapalooza officially kicks off at 5PM at Twisted Lily!
SOTD = Guerlain Cuir Beluga
It’s a trick perfume because it doesn’t smell like cuir (or even cuirass for those of you who remember my spellchecker fiasco) nor does it have anything at all to do with a whale. Cuir Beluga is pillowy powdery amber boozy vanillic goodness.
Haha!!I loved that typo-fiasco.And very glad it does NOT smell like CuirASS.Haha!Enjoy Sniffapalooza!X
I just saw ElisaP at Twisted Lily and she said cuirass is a type of armour or something like an iron lung.
I think the name means: cuir=leathery suede and beluga=white. I used to train beluga white whales back in the day and they are indeed leathery and soft like the fragrance.
Wow, that sounds fascinating. How does one train whales? I’m having enough trouble with my dog, lol!
Food rewards for bringing back the ball, just like dogs. I was a hostess (we gave speeches about the fish and narrated killer whale shows) at the local aquarium in my university days so I sometimes had to step in for the official whale trainer and do the show with the very gentle beasts. They are smooth and blubbery. Thankfully the killer whales are no longer kept in captivity and I look forward to the day when no animals will be.
I am utterly fascinated by this.
How interesting! I don’t get any leather or suede at all though.
Sniffapalooza sounds so awesome–have fun!
Thanks, Creosote. I did retail therapy, too, because 20% off. I am adding a post below!
That was always one of the names that confused me – even though I’d read the explanation/translation before. But it smells nice.
Have fun this weekend!
Thank you, Undina. We’re going to the Symrise offices to listen to how a perfume gets created from concept to finished product!
Sounds like fun, wish I was there!
Out and about again today, so no perfume until late. Yesterday was Thierry Mugler Les Exceptions Supra Floral. This whole series is both a trick and a treat, I’d say, in the way it subtly transforms the most classic perfume themes into sleek, futuristic versions of themselves, as he did with his cologne. To me, Oriental Express and Supra Floral are the most successful: beautiful, comfortable, distinctive and flattering.
While I didn’t really enjoy Supra Floral I loved Oriental Express. Funnily enough the Chypre, that I was very impressed by trying it in the shop on paper, seemed somehow nondescript when I tried it on skin.
My trick for the day is wearing a sample of Cartier La baiser du Dragon. If there is a dragon hiding in there somewhere, it’s been asleep for a few centuries and an orcherd of almond trees has grown over it. I get a bit of sweet woody scent then a sharper alcoholic smell befor it quickly fades to a soft powdery skin scent. Not at all what I imagine, given the name. Might put a drop of Youth Dew bath oil under my hair later to give this beast a bite,and a more grand presence.
Are you wearing the edp? My favorite form is the body cream. It’s very strong – I like to wear it in the early spring when the weather is still cool and I’m at an outdoor event like a ballgame. I have the perfume, too, which is softer and lovely to dab on as a touchup.
The edp. I didn’t know that there was a body cream. May have to check it out sometime. ????
It’s very almondy and pleasant and not the least bit dragony; even the Chinoiserie packaging doesn’t make sense because if it’s an oriental it’s a very soft smooth one. I can’t imagine where the name came from.
I’m wearing FM Musc Ravageur. According to the ad copy, it’s “a sexy, turbulent perfume.” On me, it’s what an MUA poster used to call “fluffy bunnies.” Not sexy, certainly not turbulent, just warm and pretty.
Of course, I’m anosmic to some musks, so I might be giving out unintentional “hello, sailor!” vibes, who knows!
I don’t get any beastly projection or dirty musk from MR, either. I hadn’t thought of fluffy bunnies, but the phrase does fit how I perceive it, too.
I get both the comforting thing and the sexy musk from it.
Fluffy bunnies! I love this term! I could use more of them in my collection
Tea of the day is Bigelow’s Salted Carmel. Quite nice, as today is feeling more like fall, with a chill in the air.
I have some David’s Tea Salted Caramel and it’s so delicious (best as a latte but also good just with milk & sugar.) Unfortunately it seems to have been discontinued
The Bigelows is available at our local grocery stores. I live in Edmond, OK. It’s very smooth with a clear Carmel taste, if that makes sense. I like it with a little brown sugar. ????Perhaps you would like it as a sub for the discontinued Davids?
Like Petunia, I was thinking of wearing Beige because “beige” sounds boring and nondescript and that is not how I experience the scent. However, when I got home from a conference yesterday, the postman had brought 3 lovely packages of samples, so I may or may not end up in Beige. I did receive samples of the new EDP of Beige and Coromandel, so that might be where I go if I’m not distracted by something else.
Where did you get the samples from? Those are the 2 EDPs I’m most curious about. As in I’m dying to smell them…
Please report on the Beige EDP if you get to it today! I am so curious.
I’m in Canada, and a nice SA from Holt Renfrew at Yorkdale Mall in Toronto took my name when I was last there and promised to send me the samples when they came in; apparently they “launched” yesterday but somehow I received them yesterday so I don’t know how that happened. At first sniff, I thought I liked the new formulation of Beige better, but after trying one spray on my left wrist and one spray of the EDT on the other wrist (5 hours ago), I can’t smell any appreciable difference. They seem about equal in both sillage and longevity too, but I’m a lucky person who gets really good lasting power from many of Les Exclusifs. I can send you the SA’s name if you think it would help. Her card says “Perfume Expert”.
I’m in the US, so I bet she won’t send me a sample. But, that is interesting that to you they smell indistinguishable. That was what many perfumistas were predicting. Thank you for your observations!
Thanks. I was hoping Beige might have better sillage (I have to apply a lot to get it to show up on my skin) but I’m also relieved to hear it’s not substantially different.
I also tried the edp and I agree with you. I prefered Beige edp’s top notes better but then they were identical and the longevity was around the same. For Coromandel it is a different story, I prefered the edt over edp.
I wish I had asked for Bois des Iles too.
So if the longevity is the same why did they change the name of the formulation and up the price ?????
Because it’s Chanel. People will still buy…
YSL Nu, which isn’t very naked or skin-like, it starts incense with a metallic-sheen.
The bottle is a terrible trick, a poorly functioning silver disc.
But the scent is a treat.
Nu is a favorite of mine and I love the scent too, although I usually shy away from anything with a metallic edge to it. But, in this case, I think the silver disc perfectly suits the fragrance. I’ve never had a problem with mine, perhaps yours is faulty somehow?
I was thinking of wearing that one today! The name is so misleading: it’s not sheer or skin-scent at all, it’s a big-ass orchid incense oriental.
I decided to take the “feel free to interpret “trick” in some other way” route and I’m wearing Molecule 01: this perfume was first sent to me (by a store, not an individual) marked as “Carnal Flower”; I loved it. Then the next day I could not smell it (trick!). Then I smelled it again, loved it and bout a travel spray of Carnal Flower (trick! I hate tuberose). It took me some time to figure out the mystery and then buy perfume that I liked. I still can smell it not every time I wear it (a known trick by ISO E Super). I can smell it now but an hour ago when I applied it I smelled almost nothing. How’s that for a trick?
Magical.????
Great story and those 2 couldn’t be more different. Yikes! I remember the first time I tried Molecule 01. I sprayed in the shop and couldn’t smell it so sprayed a few more times. Same thing. Later, it suddenly took over the room in a cedar cloud. It was my first niche purchase.
Interesting – I recently got a sample of Molecule #2 and likewise couldn’t smell it!
Madonna Truth or Dare.It always tricks the boys into thinking I am a mermaid.Winning.
happyyyyyy weekeenndd!!!X
Too cute????
I’m not wearing anything yet, as I’m still lingering over breakfast on Saturday morning. I’m planning on Mandragore for the morning’s grocery shopping – perfect Halloween name, but a lovely light citrusy scent that is so completely not Halloween to my mind!
I’m on day 2 of a 10 day vacation, so I woke up really late today and forgot about the challenge. Post shower is Chanel no 22 and as soon as this wears off, I will probably be wearing some Jubilation later on today.
Enjoy your time off!
In the spirit of the season and today’s ‘trick’ challenge, my SOTD is J. del Pozo Halloween.
Both its bottle – housing a pale, purple liquid, almost transparent, with a pale silver, ‘metallic’ plastic cap and base -and the scent itself – a watery, metallic-edged floral – conjure up no Halloween or autumn images. Lime and banana-leaf notes add a tinge of green to a somewhat sour, sharp, metallic opening, eventually devolving to a melange of floral notes – violet, magnolia, tuberose – I can smell only if I strain my sniffing abilities (or just imagine?) a bit of soft, powdery violet. The supposed milky/sandalwood base completely eludes me; instead, that unpleasant sour note stays with me to the bottom. The effect is basically that of a somewhat tropical, almost wet, jungle type of scent. It reminds me of an old YR scent, the long d/c Neblina, but that one was much more lush w/o that sour note and I enjoyed it very much.
Somewhere in the past (but I can’t find it now) I’ve read that the fragrance Halloween derived its name from the date/time of year of its completion/debut, hence the disconnect between the name and the scent itself. Someone gave me this bottle and I almost forgot I had it, but as soon as I read what today’s challenge was I knew it was perfect!
So glad I didn’t blind-buy this one! I almost did, because Halloween is my favorite holiday.
Happy Friday!
My ‘Trick’ scent today is Annick Goutal Gardénia Passion. The trick of course is that it’s more tuberose than gardenia…which is a good thing if you’re not exactly fond of gardenia, as Annick reportedly wasn’t.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
That’s a great choice. Gardénia Passion is a great scent, so you smell good.
Thank you!
I have a question for you guys. Has anyone tried 7% solution by En Voyage and what did you think about it
A couple of days ago there was a nice review of this perfume (and a draw, which is still open) at The Scented Hound’s blog.
I’m in Masque Russian Tea, and chose it not for the theme but because I ran across a decant of it that was almost evaporated and thought I ought to use it up before it was too late. The trick, as it turns out, is that it smells totally different than when I wore it last. I didn’t get any tea the first time out, but rather lots of fruit which I imagined to smell like the fruit jelly Russians add to their tea. Wearing a very concentrated version of it now, it’s tarry and spicy and very strong, and the fruit has receded way to the back. I can’t say I really love it either way, to be honest.
Good choice, even though an unintentional one: it is a tricky perfume. No matter how hard I tried, I didn’t get any fruit in it (not that it’s supposed to be in “Russian tea”, whatever it means since Russia has never been known for its tea).
My trick fragrance is Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Smoke Show. It’s not quite the “smoky rooms and simmering jazz” that VP said it to be. Instead it’s a clean, vibrant, luxe, if clean leather with a handsome rose and oud mix and the slightest smoke. Good on its own but also lovely for layering.
I’m on my way home ftom Twisted Lily. I almost never look a 20% off gift horse in the mouth so here goes my retail therapy purchases:
Berdoues Assam of India – enabler pin awarded to chocolatemarzipan. The bottle is really adorable with the rows of elephants. It reminds me of my Vera Bradley Pink Elephant Village tote and jewelry case.
Masque Milano L’Attessa – this one I’ll pin on Amy
Slumberhouse Kiste
MFK Grand Soir
I ended up not getting The Different Company Adjatay because I did not like it.
Nee at Twisted Lily – Le Galion! I got a smple of Cuir. I liked Sortilege but I have No. 5 and No. 22 to smother me with aldehydes. It is a contender for a FB purchase though if I have any spare change. I may have to think of a reward scheme with a goal to purchase this.
The food offering was all sweetish stuff so I still have to eat something when I get home.
Anyway, here’s hoping I get lucky and win the drawing for the $400 shopping spree!
If anyone is interested in a split of Assam of India, please email me.
In other news, the woman next to me has really really wide hips. She looks like a regular commuter and while I feel bad for her, I cannot stand people crowding me. I took out my freebie tabloid, placed it in between us and said I don’t want to sweat on her (although it’s really me not wnting to get skeeved out if SHE sweats on me). One of these days, I’ll have to recount my Puffy Coat story…
L’Attesa! Le swoon! This one recently went to the top of my to-buy list.
Looking forward to the Puffy Coat story!
Oh… I wish I knew about your gift horse…
Great haul! Enjoy it.
I don’t like when people intrude into my space. But I must say that at least once when I can remember, it was a tiny lady in the seat next to me on a very long flight: she didn’t do it on purpose but she just absolutely didn’t have any notion of a personal space – and I’m not talking about standing too close while talking. At some point I had to tell her that I didn’t like when strangers touch me…
yaY!!! my very first enabler pin
I know what you mean about the bottle…I bought that fragrance blind for the bottle….did you get to try any of the other Berdoues? I thought you might like OUd al Sahraa (powdery and balsamy on me) or Arz el Rab (ginger ,iris and cedar)
Congrats on the great haul! Some day I need to get to one of these events.
We traveled to visit my daughter at her University this weekend and I brought her a few samples to play with, thinking she needed some new perfumes to try. While I was fiddling through free makeup samples from Ulta & Sephora she tricked me and came out of the bathroom with an unused ETOL 9 sample scent pack AND an Atelier Azure gift box set! Now…For me! HA!!! Who’s the impoverished one here?!!! Both a trick and a treat!
SOTD- 10 Corso Como.
Happy weekend all.
How sweet! You have a lovely daughter.