Another Monday, and 12 days left to go for 2016. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm starting the week off in Fendi Theorema.
Reminder: 12/23 will be Just Finish It Friday — finish a sample or decant you’ve been hanging onto for a long time, OR wear from a precious bottle that’s getting low. Big bonus points if you finish a bottle! (Suggested by Elisa)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2016, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: image is Kendall Jenner for Fendi, Fall/Winter 2016.
Rather ill and cannot smell anything. So, dousing myself in nine sprays of Pamplelune for some furious grapefruit
scent cousin….I am in a grapefruity scent today too.
scent cousin
I hope you feel better soon. Sick twin with you. (I’d rather be a scent twin, however.)
Ugh, you get better too!
So sorry, get better!
Hope you feel better! Hope smelling the vitamin C helps.
smelling vitamin C — I like that analogy.
Bummer. Get well soon.
I am in Ostara, reminds me a bit of Bel Respiro by Chanel. Anyone else?
I wish I would of read about the community project before I put on my SOTD.
A friend of mine is heading to Paris and wants to know if I want a tea from MF, if anyone wants to throw in there 2 cents please do.
MF = Mariage Freres, right? I’d beg your friend to bring back a tea that can’t be found in the US at all, like one of the Guerlain teas! Oh, for a mug of Shalimar tea…
Yes, Mariage Frères tea. Some of them are not found in the US
Yes the teas at the Guerlain shop!
I second the Guerlain teas.
https://www.harney.com/products/paris-20-sachet-tin
this is the poor man’s version of Shalimar tea….I LOVE this stuff (as much as Lucas loves his Harney Hot Cinnamon Spice
!!)
I have had that tea!
It is amazing!!
I’ll have to try that one. Thanks for posting!
Here I was, blissfully unaware that Guerlain makes teas. …Does the Shalimar one actually smell similar to the perfume?
I love Ostara, and it doesn’t remind me of Bel Respiro at all.
What a great idea to have some tea ‘muled’ to you. I love Wedding Impérial, Black Orchid, Thé de Lune, Phénix and Marco Polo, to name a few. I don’t know how much you like Earl Greys, but their Earl Grey Provence is special.
My Ostara saga: I read about shortly after it was discontinued and really wanted to try it, but feared the blind buy (it was still available via a few discounters). I found a decanter who still had some and ordered a small decant. When it arrived, the sprayer was stubborn when I tried to spritz, and it somehow flew out of my hand, bounced off the dresser, and smashed on the floor. So I never did try it on myself, but I did smell the drydown for about two weeks . . .
If you like Oolong, they have some interesting ones. I also like their paris -xy blends, a favorite is Paris – Provance.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Hmmm! I think I will throw myself into trying to finish my bottle of Estee Lauder Azuree Soleil. It’s one of the oldest bottles in my collection now, and the thought of letting it go off is much sadder than using it all.
I thought it would be a nice thing to do “use it up” at the end of the year, but I’m having trouble with the concept as it turns out. I might just use up a sample.
Avalon Juniper- grapefruit, heliotrope and juniper
I intend to finish this bottle by the end of the week.
A question came up with a good friend and I am wondering if anyone has an answer- Does anyone know which were the earliest or first perfume blogs? And when did samples become available for sale online? I am just curious……I would love to explore some of the original perfume blogs that go way back…if they still even exist!
Pretty sure NST is one of the oldest
NST
The OGs I remember include (of course) NST, Perfume Posse, Perfume Smellin’ Things, Bois de Jasmin, The Non-Blonde, and Blogdorf Goodman. All highly worth reading!
OOO! thank you Ari! I knew that NST had been around for a while and have been enjoying reading some of the old posts (went back to 2005 yesterday) but was wondering about other blogs as well. Also wondered if there was anything in the late 1990s or was that too early for the whole internet thing? (don’t know as I am an old fart and came into all of this pretty late….2010 or so?)
I started because I looked around for a perfume blog and could not find one in operation — there were one or two that had made small starts and then given up.
What a gem you have created!
And I think yours might be one of the oldest!circa 2005?
Ha! Then everyone who commented did indeed send me in the right direction-NST! I was curious as to when it all started as well. Now I know…early 2000s.
I started reading NST many years ago because it was the only source of perfume news I could find
NST may be one of the oldest but it is also the best. I have said over the years that it is still my daily go-to because it is classy, seldom veers off the topic, and the people who comment are intelligent, humourous, decent people whom I respect.
Would just like to agree with what you perfectly said.
Wow! A trailblazer! And am so grateful that you’ve kept it going for this long. What’s special to me about yours is the daily check-in which makes it feel like a community rather than just perfume reviews, though I appreciate those, too. I hope you’ve left a successor in your will (long may you live)!!
I know a lot of guys who started talking way back on makeupalley.com’s fragrance board.Also basenotes has been around forever,it was one of the first online sites I discovered!
yes I figured basenotes and fragrantica must have been around for a while too.
I started on MakeupAlley! That was probably late 2003, it was a very active board.
Yep, I used to visit that site quite often when it was just on makeup.
Have you tried searching under ListServ for the pre-cursor to blogs? Also, way way back in AOL land when 5 1/4″ floppy disks were widely used and you needed to actually dial out and hear the hissing and spitting of the modem to get connected to your ISP, there were forums for all sorts of topics although I have no clue if there was one for perfumes.
Never tried that search but if it is easy to do I might…my friend and I were trying to come up with a time frame of when blogs popped up…she thought the mid 2000s but I thought it was earlier (turns out she is right
!!). My person had his own computer which I did not dare use…and I remember he had AOL and I do remember that odd noise the computer used to make! I am sure that there probably were a number of perfume obsessed around at that time .
Early perfume obsessed and oldie here too! Boy do I remember that sound.
I think I stumbled upon NST liking for info right after Robin started up.
I wonder if yahoo might have had a perfume community?
Looking!
You piqued my curiosity and I found this –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_blogging
fascinating stuff!
“the hissing and spitting”: yep. Good grief we’re, what, a generation away from kids knowing what that sound is? I feel old all of a sudden.
I know. right? When I showed my nephew who was 3 at the time a picture of a dial telephone, he had
no clue what it was!
Chocolate Marzipan, coincidentally, I came across this old blog/forum last weekend and bookmarked it:
http://thebroadroom.net/lipstickpage/blogs/
Although it’s called The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog, it seems to have many perfume reviews (100, according to the index of tags).
thanks nozknoz! I just explored it and the blog goes back to 2003 but there is also a link to an earlier beauty blog that goes back to 2000.
a decade already and more coming! You have inspired me, too, Robin.
I am another who is sick and can barely smell. I’m wearing Jicky – I don’t know why, but it seemed like a perfect comforting choice. I can only smell a wee bit of it, and the ghostly notes really remind me of the smell of my grandfather’s apartment. Maybe he wore Jicky at one point? I know my grandmother wore Shalimar.
The civet cat perching on your shoulder might give some comfort.
But, have you ever felt that your perfume smells different whenever you are ill?
Hope you feel better soon, sistine!
Get well soon! In the meantime, rest assured that you smell great!
Considering I did some damage finishing off 90% of my samples for the majority of the year I think I’ll sit out for this week’s challenge.
Although this is no where near the right weather for this fragrance, I’m in L’ombre dans l’eau because it’s a new bottle and I’ve wanted it for ages. I sprayed heavily in hopes it’ll last the work day.
Speaking of…. this is a very short week. Work today and then…. yeah. Tomorrow is our xmas party, which means no one will do anything the first half of the day. Wednesday is a half day and then I’m off until after the new year on “holiday hours” (aka on call, but not really)
I’m with you, Jenkr–finished 36 samples and/or decants this year, so I’m not trying too hard with this challenge. Looks like I’ll be able to finish off another bunch in 2017 as well.
Nice! I never counted how many I’d gone through, but it was really fun and helped me focus on what I really want out of scent. So many of them I felt were mediocre.
I only have a handful now and I know I’ll finish most of them in 2017.
What amazes me is out of all the samples I’ve ordered over the last 2 years, how few turned into loves. I think I’d have a hard time using up the “meh” ones, though. Easier for me to just ship them out, I guess. I’m also still admiring and inspired by your project!
I can’t even…
Dozens upon dozens of samples.
Very few loves.
I really really really should use up some samples. Doubt I’ll manage it without a conscious effort, and I’m not sure I could muster THAT up… Kudos to both of you.
I love the idea of going through my sample bowl, but I hate the idea of it becoming a chore. . .
I’ve decided to use up one of those tiny complimentary samples I sometimes get from other perfume lovers. So the SOTD is Funfair Evening by Maison Martin Margiela. It started innocently enough – smelling of a fruity chewing gum – not particularly interesting, but not too strong or sweet. Then it it grew stronger and sweeter turning into something I can describe as a combo of caramel and plastic. The sweet caramel side of the fragrance kind of reminds me of Angel.
Caramel and plastic is how I would describe Alahine–heavy on the plastic!
2016 is winding down quickly, is it not? Wowzers….
SOTD: Pleasures Pop. Heading into the dentist later this afternoon for a temporary crown, and possibly a root canal if needed, so wearing something extremely light and non-offensive. A Christmas crown is a gift to myself, considering the price of dental work? #NOT!!!!!
All my shopping is done, 3 more days of school for the hubs and kids. We’ve got this!!!!
I just departed the land of dental crowns and feel your pain! Hoping you can avoid the root canal all together. ✌????️
Good luck with the root canal. I’ve had 4 in my lifetime, and just waiting for the next one…awful.
Good luck at the dentist today.
Ouch.Hope it goes without teething problems…!????
Hope the dentist visit goes better than expected.
Hey, we’re dentist twins today! ???? Hope it goes well.
Happy Monday everyone! I am wearing Dior Oud Ispahan. This is of my great discoveries this year together with Guerlain L’Instant pour Homme (thanks to Elisa P. who made them possible.). Oud Isaphan was instant love for me. Ambery roses, oud, incense, woods. An amazing dark composition. I keep smelling my wrists continuously and happily. It has a really good longevity, so I will be enjoying it immensely the whole day.
That sounds good! I have a decant of Féve DÉLICIEUSE, which I really like although it skews a bit masculine. You had me at “dark composition” ????????
You smell fantastic, I love OI as well, splurged and got a big bottle a little over a year ago. I really love that animalic dry-down, this is one of the sexiest fragrances I own.
Oh you do smell delicious!Right up there with Portrait of a Lady in my dark-rose favorites category!
Wow, that sounds delish!
???? Always glad to help and happy it found a loving home. It does have nuclear longevity which I’m finding I don’t appreciate as much as I thought I did, in general. I want things to start to say goodbye at about the 5 hour mark.
Hmm, the fact it has such good longevity makes me think I’m going to have to put it on my to-sample list…
SOTD is the surprisingly good “Epices Sultanes” from Comptoir Sud Pacifique.
Top: bergamot and dried fruits;
Mid: saffron, rose and geranium;
Base: vanilla, patchouli, musk, amber, oud and sandalwood.
For some people this might read a little too sweet or gourmand, but on me it’s smooth and comforting.
Forgot to add: 4 more days…
Sounds great! Serious perfume folks often scoff at this brand but I have run across several I like. Nothing wrong with cheap and cheerful ????
it really does sound good …and I would never scoff
Sometimes cheap is good 
Oh, its good, but I went to look at the website and it’s not all that cheap. €136 for 100ml and no smaller sizes, at least not today. I can live without.
Wot?! I am used to picking up CSPs at Winners for $17 for 50ml, so that’s a big difference.
Bad start to the day with a call from work asking “Where are you?” MY schedule shows that I should be at home, in bed, snuggled up, and dreaming happy dreams, which is exactly where I was! Grrr!
On the bright side, I’m now having my hazelnut coffee and pumpkin bagel while wafting Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille. Yum! I smell good, about to run some errands, mail decants, and start doing some serious measuring and planning for my new van!!
I looked out the wIndow this morning and saw that big behemoth parked at the curb and thought:
“OMG! What have I gotten myself into?!” ????
Ha!
Your post made me smile
Well then, mission accomplished! ????
I want what you are eating and drinking
Ditto
Hie thee to Panera! ????
Did you get the van? I’m so pleased if you did. My dad fitted out an old bedford for us when I was a kid and it was the best thing ever and we had such great trips. So much better than sitting out days of rain in a tent. A beautiful camp site, a van and a dog and a shelf of perfumes and books is my idea of heaven. Good luck. What a brilliant project.
I’m in synch with your vision of heaven! Thanks for your kind words, and yes, I did get the van! Lots of work to do and I hope I’m up for it. I’ve already spotted a portable fridge that will run off 12V solar to keep my perfumes, as well as my food, cold 24/7. I will be paring down my perfumes as well as everything else as time goes on. I’m a little shocked I’ve actually taken the first step…!
“to keep my perfumes (as well as my food) cold…”
Now that is priceless
Ugh. Those calls suck! All that sudden second guessing. Glad you were able to right yourself with good eats and smellies. I’m having visions of “Pimp my Ride” with your plans for the van. Would love to see the before and afters.
They do suck but I’m not second guessing myself. Rather, I am more determined to get moving. I am tinkering with the the before/after idea..
Congratulations on the van!
Thank you!
Congrats on getting the van! I hope the renovation ends up, on the whole, being a good experience.
I hadn’t read about the challenge when I picked a scent this morning but I looking forward to joining in. Today I wore Le Galion Snob because it’s so bright and crisp.
Morning in Sycomore. I’m finding this winter that I keep choosing the same 4 or 5 things over and over. Not sure if it’s because of all the stuff happening in the wider world, and I’m too defeated to think about perfume, or if the season just calls for those. Maybe a little of both.
Sycomore is always apropo.
Appropriate, my gosh!
I think it is lovely to have four or five that you really really enjoy and crave ….
Consistency and stability are very soothing. If you can’t find it in the wider world, at least you can find a semblance of it in your favorite perfumes ????
missionista! long time, no see
Hope you’ve been well!
I’m in Vol de Nuit EDT today, and it might be true love. I need to look at my STC paperwork to see whether this was vintage or current formula. Whatever it is, it’s lovely.
you smell lovely!
You smell great, whatever the concentration! ????
Mmmm, Vol de Nuit.
Working on finishing my sample of SSS Equestrian. School is out until January 3 so I can use anything I want for the next 2 weeks- lots of samples to use up.
Lucky you — enjoy your long break!
All the rose talk over the weekend inspired me this morning, so I’m wearing Yves Rocher’s Rose Oud.
That sounds like a good one!
You smell great!
I haven’t tried that one but now I want to look for it. I love the By Kilian Rose Oud. Any comparisons?
I was inspired by same to wear that one yesterday. I don’t find it very oud-y but I really like it, nonetheless
I’m getting all frustrated reading about all your wonderful SOTD’s here! Missing my bottles back in Massachusetts. I brought with me decants of Red Roses, Chillum, Eau d’hadrian and Santal Carmin. All very good but I’m missing wearing those really heavy amber and orientals I like wearing around the holidays. I tried to pick scents for the hot weather here and Carmin is even a little too heavy. I’ve also been adding jasmine essential oil to a water spritzer and perfuming/hydrating my hair with that. For sure all my decants will be done by the time I go back home in March.
I’m not sure where you are now but if you have access to perfume shopping AND they have Dyptique, try Eau Duelle and Volutes: while these are not timid perfumes (so a nod to the type of perfumes you’re missing), they proved to me to wear nicely in a hot weather.
I found limiting myself to a couple of decants when travelling made me feel quite deprived, so I tried throwing in a bunch of quite varied samples. That’s how I found out that Elixer des Merveilles was fbw, after a so-so first sniff. Even if a particular sample didn’t work for the weather it made my fickle little heart happy to know that I had a choice.
I’m with you, Sanjini! We are on vacation in LA, and I packed mostly warmer-weather scents. But it’s chilly in evening, and it IS December, after all, so I’m wishing for something MORE. I had a little bit of Lyric in my purse, so that was yesterday’s compromise.
SOTD is Yatagan, lovely and, on me, never the monster I read about in the reviews. Maybe my bottle is off somehow?
Dear Lord,I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVE Yatagan,but totally unwearable on me.On another p?Yum
P=person of course.Lol.
I’m going all Christmas-y this week. SOTD is Etro Messe de Minuit. OOTD is not so traditional – jeans, cowboy boots, black top, Xmas earrings, and a white eyelash sweater which makes me look like a tiny Abominable Snowman. But who cares, it’s warm and snuggly
Love the outfit and the scent. Cowboy boots are always appropriate.
Happy Monday everyone! I have so many samples in my desk drawer at work that I’m quite looking forward to finishing a few of them before the holidays. Today it’s Vero Profume Rozy (voile). I have a 2ml sample from a shop and I think I can finish it today. Not planned the rest of the week or the Friday scent yet, but i’m sure I can dig something out of the magic box of vials.
It’s the final stretch to the holidays; most people in the office are already on leave and it might actually be not too bad. Someone bought a box of nice Earl Grey tea at work and I’m having some of that.
Sounds like a good way to end the week.
Horny Little Devil.No,not me!!My SOTD.Lol.By Smellbent of course as I cannot get enough of this brand lately.So good.It’s a nice musky/patchouli rose!
HAHAHA
????
Just to add!Someone was looking for a Cocoa-Cola fragrance some weeks back,do try this one!
????
Ha! Love the name of that scent!
Today I’m wearing Hove Carnaval. I bought this scent about five years ago, and I have about 1/6 of the bottle left. Its a blend of jasmine, gardenia and limes.
I’m going to the doctor in a little while. My throat started hurting me mid day yesterday, and it only got worse. I hate going to the doctor, but I don’t want to be sick for the holidays.
I have a little dibbler bottle of that – I don’t wear it a lot, but I always love it when I do. I will buy another bottle, maybe a spray bottle, when this is gone.
I was overwhelmed with the choices when I went to the Hove shop in the French quarter last fall. I love that glittering granite rock floor.
I want to go back and try the ones that have carnation in them….
Sore throats: booooo! Hope you can soothe it and feel better asap!
SOTD is Triomphe (Rance).
Got some decants over the weekend, one of them being Un Rose (FM), looking forward to testing it, perhaps tonight after dinner.
One of my favorite FMs
I finished off my sample of Omnia Coral. Didn’t have quite enough for the amount of spritzes I like to apply. I may have to put on something else.
Ended up spraying Thyme’s Wild Angelica on my wrists.
Good for you, you finished one on Monday! I am going to be lucky to finish one by Friday.
SOTD TDC Bois d’Iris, since I just received my blind buy from Gilt. It is lovely but I find ISM and Hiris much more interesting, so I might just ebay it.
I have a sample vial of Shalimar that I intend to finish within the week, starting later today once the iris wears off
Doing a double-iris day over here: the Prada Iris Absolue versus Bas de Soie. Think the former is winning for a winter day…
You smell beautiful! Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue is warm and comfy, it’s a winner for cold weather :D. I haven’t tried SL Bas de Soie. Now that I know it has iris, I must
Ah, it’s my poll! Good reason to finish off my sample of Sideris today.
You smell good– love Sideris
I liked this poll idea. And I love Sideris!
So excited for you! http://www.minimotives.com is redoing a little camper and devised extendable/retractable beds for her kids. I am amazed how much stuff you can cram into a small space if you think creatively. What kind of van did you buy?
This is for Deva! I dk how it ended up down here.
I’m wearing 24, Faubourg today. I wanted something that smelled like vintage but not vintage.
http://remotehuts.co.nz/huts/mikonui/
I have a dream of building a NZ. ‘tramping’ style hut in my garden one day, a place where I can work ( rather than the kitchen table which I have to tidy evry evening ) and sleep. This remote huts site is one of my favourites for ideas. The tramping community restoration projects are fantastic.
Fantastic idea! An escape in the back yard. Mobile van dwellers and RVer’s in US call themselves “Rubber Tramps” which really fits nicely with your “tramping” style hut idea. You should totally build it ????
I love blogs like this, thanks for the link. There are many YouTube channels that revolve around this whole downsizing idea, as well as mobile small living. The More We Explore is a good one, as well as Less Junk, More Journey. Great inspiration out there!
I ended up getting an old school Chevy Express 2500 extended body van. You know, the van every plumber and electrian in the US drives. I researched the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster, and Mercedes Sprinter as well. Test drove all but the Sprinter (as soon as I realized it was diesel, it got booted. Also not many authorized Sprinter repair shops around the US and cost of diesel maintenance is expensive. I won’t mention up front cost!). Chevy won out due to the historically proven engine reliability, ease of access for repair/parts, cheapest grade of unleaded gas, increadible payload and tow capacity, and it just seemed to “fit” when I did my 3(!) test drives. The vans are ubiquitous, so it won’t look like a camper van on the outside, making stealth camping a whole lot easier. Gas mileage could be better, so that’s a con, but I got a great end of year deal. It certainly isn’t a sexy vehicle, but you just can’t have it all ????
I just looked at the Chevy and I’ll bet you’ll be quite comfortable in there. Loads of room. Congratulations!
Thank You!
Deva I am with you on the downsizing! have been doing it since June-ish? and am loving the idea of “less junk”….
Less junk is a great concept. I don’t have a lot of stuff compared to others in a similar size house, but I just feel like I’m being suffocated by odds and ends and bits and pieces. I’m done ????
That van rocks! Reminds me of those cable guy/surveillance vans from American movies (in a good way) . Tess-Rex is going to love it, riding up front with her head out of the window, snapping at the wind. Will you give it a name?
Exactly! I could put a magnetized “cable TV” business sign on the side and really just diasappear! I’ve always enjoyed being a fly on the wall and observing the world around me, so this will bring it to a whole new level. Regarding perfumes, I have made up my mind no more bottles larger than 15ml. This will mean I may be doing more purchasing at decant sites. The next freebiemeet/swap meet will be interesting ????
Note Vanillee for me today–a toasty vanilla, caramel and booze complement to freezing temperatures
wow..that must smell wonderful
In Shermine from Huitieme Art Parfums today
I’m trying to break out of this rut of wearing the same 4 or 5 perfumes over and over again. Yesterday, I tried out Fou d’Absinthe by L’Artisan and liked it quite a bit. Loved the Granville/liquid Dial soap (the original gold color) vibe to it. I think that I might get it next year since I enjoyed it that much. But right now I am gazing at my collection and looking at wearing either Cuir de Russie or maybe no 22.
SOTD = Malmaison, the original version, my favorite carnation of all carnation perfumes I have ever encountered. I have actually contemplated going to one of those sites that claim to recreate any perfume for you, and see if they can make an acceptable knock off for me, as my decant is getting low. Has anyone tried one of those services? If so which one, and were you happy with the results? It could be a little holiday present to myself….
Hmm, meant this to be an independent post, don’t know why it piggybacked!
Malmaison is one of my perfumes that ended up in the basement when I moved and I haven’t retrieved that box. Oh well. You smell good though
Have you tried Malmaison Encore?
Liquid Dial! There’s a strong scent memory! Like Pert Plus. . .
No SOTM, gotta leave some real estate free as today is the day that Mr. Spicebomb and I have set some time aside for me to go play at Scent Bar (while Mr. S. goes in search of vinyl, I expect). Can’t decide how long to tell him to keep himself busy–at least an hour, I figure. Any thoughts?
I think 2 hours would be better.
Have fun!
How fun–enjoy!
I’m going through the fun gift I bought myself of the April Aromatics sample set. Today’s try-out is Rosenlust. It’s marvelous, just a pure soft very lifelike rose! I bought the set because Luckyscent had the one I’d tried and loved, Calling All Angels, on back-order. Now I have a mini of that. I’ve only tried two others so far: Precious Woods, which I found a bit screechy, and Bohemian Spice, which is WONDERFUL: It’s almost up there with CAA, as far as FB plans are concerned. Very nice orange-spiced patchouli, dark dark patchouli. Yum!
My husband loves Bohemian Spice; it is his favorite from the set. And I would like a FB of Erdenstern
Love that brand! I think my favorite is Nectar of Love.
I am wearing Ore. I do not think I have a single bottle of fragrance nearing its end! Surprisingly, I used the largest amount of Frapin Passion Boisee, although I do not ever wear it out, because I am afraid it smells like turpentine to other people, while I am blissfully just smelling oranges now. What can I say, now I really can be called an addict, secretly using a bottle of perfume!
Ore. Wonderful.
I find Ore kind of addictive.
Scentless now, but once I’m up I’ll try to finish Mona do Orio Vanille decant: I liked this perfume so much that I bought a bottle while still keeping enough in the decant – mostly to compare if perfume in a new bottle is any different. If it is, I don’t smell the difference – so I can finish that decant.
On a separate note: has anyone notice when Atelier Cologne jacked up the prices for 30 ml perfumes in their original collection? I just saw it yesterday: e.g., 30 ml of Bois Blonds costs now $105, Trfle Pur – $120. And it’s from $70-$80 per bottle that I remember from recent trips to the site (so I’m not even talking about $55-$60 I paid for them 5 years ago). Hello, L’Oréal?
They won’t sell because you can get 200ml of Trefle Pur for $117 at an online discounter. People who know will know where to go.
That’s crazy pricing and undoes the entire point of the 30ml. I’m not a big fan of AC, so not a loss for me – but I’d think it is for them!
Ditto this.
Wow, I didn’t realize how much the prices were jacked up! I was aware when it went to $70 but wow, another $30+!
For Trefle Pur it’s $50! But I see that now they have different prices for different perfumes even in the same collection, the “least” expensive being $90, then through $105 to the most expensive $120 for 30 ml. Oh, well… Split it is!
Ah, Monday, you again.
SOTD is a small spritz of Chanel N°22, so as not to overpower at my dentist appointment.
Have a good one, everybody!
Good luck at the dentist!
Thanks! (It was a cleaning, with no bad news. Whew!)
I smell it the moment I see ‘N°22’. Such strong incense, iris, jasmine and white floral, aldehydic… Lucky dentist indeed!
Well, I like to be a sort of walking air-freshener wherever I go. ???? The office–dentist, hygienists, receptionists–is *all* women, so I figured they might appreciate a little wafting of a sophisticated scent!
SOTD = Coromandel
I’m not in any danger of running out as I have a back-up bottle. It’s cold out today and Coromandel
just hits the spot.
It is for a cold cold day, right? I might join you later.
Yup, it was brrrr cold but ai powered through the 1.3 mile walk to the office and the same thing going home!
I’m also in Coromandel today. I love it so much.
Hey twin! We smell delightful!
stay warm
My $50 down coat from Costco, 2 scarves, hat and gloves kept me toasty!
What a bargain on a down coat!
Indeed!
and Costco sells coats???
I wore Coromandel recently and it was extremely fitting the cold weather we unexpectedly are having this winter
Cold is so much nicer than hot!
I keep spritzing sparingly not wanting to buy a new one for fear of the difference between edp and edt..
Noir Épices for me today. It is smelling great in the cool crisp air. I have 3 bottles of it, need to wear it more often.
Three?!
Yes – one for my house in San Diego, one for my house in Montréal, and one backup bottle.
I like the idea of a back-up bottle for when something gets discontinued
Pretty sure 3 bottles = True Love ????
Wearing Amouage Epic Woman. I gave the rest of my sample set to my mother (her style and she loves them), but had to keep this one. So perfect for the cold weather and quirky enough to keep me interested. Have a good day, NST!
Good day to you too, schaf – you smell good! Epic is not my first-second-even third favorite from the line but I like it and wore last week because I thought it was just right for the colder weather.
Glad to hear that Epic is appreciated by Amouage fans!
I’m twins with Robin in Theorema! I always think of it as a Christmas scent — it smells like panettone and brandy to me. A perfect perfume with Christmas right around the corner and our Christmas tree all a-twinkle and the garden covered in sparkly frost.
Hey twin! We smell so perfect.
Givenchy III, gorgeous, just a small sample for now, but I can see a bottle in the foreseeable future. Givenchy Vetyver is another gem.
Trying to “just finish it” this week, beginning with what was apparently the second last wearing of my tuberuse 40 sample…oh I’ll be sad when this one is gone, I might have to get a decant. I do have a decant of dilettante which serves a similar purpose…now to be late to a meeting on this drippy monday!
Oh, I could finish mine off this week too. Not sure I want to.
Through swaps and generous gifts, I currently have 4 partial decants of Rozy Voile d’Extrait. Now, I am a huge fan of Rozy, and have FB of the EDP and Extrait, but 4 partial decants is a bit much,so I decided to make a good dent in one of the VdE decants. That was apparently a bad choice. Today, it has gone all thin and screechy on me when it is usually lush and wonderful.
Hmmm, do you think it is due to a bad match with current weather conditions?
I hope so. I would hate to think I have stopped loving this.
This weekend finished samples of the wonderful new Paul Schutze Tears of Eros and Behind the Rain. Then much to my delight received very generous samples of all three of the line with a purchase from First in Fragrance. Good thing as it will stop me from buying bottles until after the new year!
Wearing Ys-Uszac Lale which is perfect for this blue sky sunny morning. Big work day today as I am co-editing an anthology of NZ mountaineering writing 1830 – present day ( non fiction, fiction and poetry) with a friend and we are doing our first run through of possible selections…so much material to choose from it’s a bit daunting. Have a horrid fear we could fill 1000 pages …. I will do a follow up of NZ women climbers in a year kr two as there are so many, right back from the 1860s ( upper middle-class, mostly aged in their 30s to 60s back then ) . Still haven’t thought about Christmas…probably just have a BBQ and go for a walk on the hills or the beach. Gosh, i feel nervous about today…how odd.
Sounds fascinating, do let us know when it is finished. Kiwis are intrepid adventurers, I have read tales of their kayaking adventures that make your hair stand up.
That sounds fascinating! I have such great admiration for women who refuse to be confined by their time, circumstance, or prevailing social norms. You’ll have to keep us updated ????
That sounds like a fantastic project! Women in the history/historiography of my field is one of my areas of interest, so it’s nice to learn there are enough women for their own volume.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freda_Du_Faur
Freda du Faur was an amazing mountaineer – regarded as the best amateur ( i.e. not a professional guide) in NZ during the 1910s. Did many first ascents. Her book is great. Sad end to her life. I think that with history you often find what you look for – so I was probably very tuned into finding women mountaineers and they were there right from the start (literally).
Thanks for the link! I’ll look for her book and will enjoy reading up on her. I like your thinking regarding finding what you’re looking for in history; I think it’s spot on! My particular interest is in archaeology, where women have been actively written out of traditional histories to the point that specifically looking for them elsewhere is the only way to encounter them (resulting in part of the work carried out in “gender archaeology”). You could also say the men who wrote the ‘definitive’ histories of the discipline clearly found all of what the were looking for (men) and none of what they weren’t (women).
No scent today still in stress mode, but I think I’ll pick out some samples to empty for the rest of the week so I’m prepared!
Hope the stress eases!
Wow! Where did the time go today?! I’m on theme with the last dregs of my Lalique le Parfum decant, but I have a very newly acquired bottle waiting in the wings. I’m hoping to get lots of use out of this very versatile, and pretty little number(thanks again to Petunia for introducing me to this one).
I see we both are using the same trick of finishing something without actually finishing it
And you’ll be able to re-use your decant bottle if you’ll need to take perfume with you to refresh during the day or on a trip
Yes, it’s a bit of a cheat ???? Starting this week’s theme with the easy ones. I’ll definitely refill the to-go atomizer!
It’s an easy to like perfume. So glad that you like it!
Happy Monday Everyone! Just got out of the shower in preparation to go to physical therapy. Yesterday, I attempted to buy a few things for my mom for Christmas. She likes bubble bath from B&BW. I got a few free items and got myself some Warm Vanilla Sugar shower gel and spritz. I used that in the shower and will spray some of my Intense Café my Montale as my SOTD. I think those two scents will go well together.
How is Intense Cafe? It there any sweetness to it or is more of an arid coffee scent? The layering combo sounds great. ????
I’ll add my 2 cents here, if that’s ok. It’s actually predominantly a rose scent with a coffee/vanilla accent. Kind of in the vein of TF Cafe Rose.
Rose. I guess that leaves me out. ???? *gulp*
Yes, I totally agree with Elisa P.
The reviews I read about it said that if you like the smells of gourmands, vanilla, and coffee, then you would enjoy this. Even though its a unisex scent, it tends to lean on more of the sweet side. I like it a lot though.
It sounds great! Except for the Rose part. ????
Today is the fifth anniversary of when I lost my mom. I should of stayed home, but instead, I went to work and managed to rip the front bumper off my car. Needless to say…..ugh. Anyway, I discovered a great perfume layering combo. TF Noir Extreme (men’s version) under CD Addict. A perfect spicy vanilla. In doing this, I used up my sample of Addict, so I’m on point for this weeks project:)
I’m sorry that what was already a difficult day was made worse with bad luck. Take care of yourself tonight. It sounds like you smell amazing.
Oh, gosh. So sorry to hear about your rough day. Perfumed hugs to you.
Tough day – hope your perfume choice is helping a bit.
Ouch, that hurts all the way around! Sorry your sadness was compounded by the fender bender bumper issue!
Sorry to hear that your day was so rotten. Hope things look up for you soon.
Sorry it was a rough day. Here’s to a better tomorrow! And regarding the bumper, as my best friend told me in high school, “Don’t worry, that’s what bumpers are *for*!” ????
Oh dear, adding my sympathies.
That’s rotten. Five years isn’t very long – sending love and hope the rest of the week goes better .
Extending my sympathies as well. That combo sounds great although I will have to do it with Pour Femme.
One more day until vacation break! So excited for R&R.
SOTD: Angel Muse.. just a dab ‘ill do ya
No need to even spray this one. I did early on and boy was I sorry.
Just caught news of attacks in Berlin & Turkey, ugh. It goes on. Feel like going home, locking the doors and windows and never venturing out. Nothing feels safe anymore. Heart breaks for such tragedy, especially this time of year.
Just hearing about this! And Switzerland, too. I’m with you on the fear and heartbreak, there.
Saw these right before heading home!
Another long day. SOTD was Kiss Me Tender. I had a craving. I bought it early on and still love it. Goodnight NSTRs.????