Happy birthday to Dana Elaine Owens aka Queen Latifah! We're celebrating the occasion with a slice of cake, a spritz of Queen and our standard weekend lazy poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your favorite celebrity fragrance, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is via The Queen's Castle.
Ooh, I love seeing Queen Latifah up there! She’s my all-time favorite rapper- “Ladies First” is nothing short of a classic.
My boyfriend is having a housewarming party tonight, so need a “meeting 15 of his friends at once” SOTD! Something friendly and crowdpleasing. He really likes Baccarat Rouge 540, but I need NST recommendations, too!
I get more compliments on Profumum Confetto than any other scent I own. Definitely a crowdpleaser.
Side note: Luckyscent is now carrying Profumum body creams. Confetto is one of them. (I am not a crowd, but I am pleased.)
I get a ton of compliments for Eau des Merveilles and Wood Sage and Sea Salt, which are both discrete enough that if there are people in the crowd who dislike perfume, they probably won’t be too offended.
However, I wore Baccarat Rouge 540 for New Year’s Eve, because to me it says “party!” Whatever you choose, you’ll smell amazing and charm everyone. Have fun!
At the risk of sounding retrograde, I’d say wear the scent he loves. He may be a little nervous (good nervous) about all his usuals meeting you. When he gives you that comforting side hug when there is that first knock on the door, you’ll be pleased you smell wonderful to him.
PS You will rock the night!
Agree with all that Oakland said! You will wow the crowd.
3rd. Brilliant strategy.
What did you end up with, Ari?
Any well-made fruity floral perfume from your collection should do the trick: crowd is conditioned by the industry to like that type of scent
Enjoy your evening!
She’s one of my favorites as well. She’s incredible.
15 of his friends at once! No pressure.
Hope it’s a great evening!
I would try and find a scent that says ‘Welcome’. Something that is warm and friendly, not intimidating but inviting, something that puts people at ease and yet captures a facet of your individuality and personality.
I agree; it’s good to go with the scent he likes
OR I would say Incense Rosé or CN5 l’Eau, which are just such cheerful scents. Cheerful and friendly.
I’ve been pretty bad about following NST over the past three or four months, which means I missed the entire story of this boyfriend. I’m very disappointed in myself. Please feel free to give a brief backstory on him, if you feel so inclined!
Queen Latifah is great!
Enormous thanks to everyone who weighed in! I went with Baccarat after all- no comments, but the Pomelo Paradis candle I brought over did get some praise!
My week of Pink Sugar is over and a full bottle has been ordered. (Found one for $10 online!) Thank you NSTers for supporting/enabling me.
SOTD is JM Basil & Neroli. I wore it yesterday too because I wanted something green for St. Patty’s Day. But I layered it with Birch & Black Pepper and ruined it. I smelled like a car leaking all of its fluids. Next to an orange grove, of course. No layering today, I feel a responsibility to fix my mistake.
Happy weekend everyone!
Yes Lucy! Glad you are more firmly back, AND that you found your next happy scent.
Thank you. It really is good to be back. Even though I’ve never met anyone here in person, I feel like I’ve lost touch with friends over the last year. Fingers crossed that I can continue to have enough free time to participate from here on out.
Ha! My favorite quote of the week:
” I smelled like a car leaking all of its fluids. Next to an orange grove, of course.”
Yeah, I’m usually all over unique combos, but that one was a bit too strange even for me. Glad to get a laugh for it though.
I gave in and bought a bottle of Van Cleef & Arpels Moonlight Patchouli, which I’m wearing today.
I’m slowly getting ready for Esxence.
Does anyone have any special requests/suggestions as to what I should try while I’m there?
Curious about the two new Masque Milano releases, particularly Times Square. I can’t imagine you’ll miss trying this brand
They are on my to-try list with their 2 novelties
Not to try but to ask the brand (Masque Milano): are they going to switch to the new bottles for their previous collection?
They are, they told me last year they will gradually repack everything into those 30 ml bottles.
Guess they have to sell out the stock in old bottles first
Please report on the new Vero Profumo Naja, supposedly a tobacco scent. Also, I have heard rumours of a foresty new Papillon Perfumery. And of course anything from Andy Tauer! Thanks and have fun!!
I love Queen Latifah, and I would like to own one of her fragrances, but as I understand it, Queen is very vanilla forward, and I dislike most (almost all) vanilla fragrances. But I don’t see much about Queen of Hearts, so how good is it? I just got a mini of SJP Stash Elixir off eBay for less than $5.00 (free shipping!) so I can see if I like it. I loved Covet, but after I used up my decant, I didn’t buy a full bottle. Today, I’m wearing a Possets perfume oil, Celadon Green. The first time I put this on, one of my cats responded as if my arm was dipped in catnip. He got all four paws around my arm and kept rolling his head against my arm.
Definitely sounds like there’s some kind of “kitty crack” in that Celadon Green! Maybe I should buy some for my furbies…
Adorable! Love it when my kitties like my perfume! Although, I admit, usually the response I get is unsolicited arm licking, which I find kinda gross and uncomfortable. Still, it makes me smile!
Random cat share. We’ve been taking care of my grouchy old alpha kitty who is pretty sick–so he’s been prescribed pills, liquid meds, special foods (which he ignores), and an IV drip thing (the needle is only subcutaneous–I’m not hunting for cat veins!) ANYWAY, looking for the humor in it all… a friend emailed me the following, which had my whole family laughing. So I thought someone in NST-land would enjoy it as well:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC372253/
Yup! Sounds about right!
Reminds me of a blog I came across when I was researching how to lay my patio. The father who wrote the blog included instructions about “helpful toddlers” playing in the freshly tamped and leveled sand, amongst other gems. It was so reassuring that the usual two day timetable was absurd to at least one other person.
I’m wearing AG Mandragore Pourpre today.
Tomorrow, we will be celebrating my daughter’s 23rd birthday. She has requested grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, champagne and tiramisu. I bought her Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne, JM Orange Blossom shower gel and JM lime basil reed diffuser. She is going to be so surprised when she sees all the Jo Malone bags around her tiramisu birthday cake ☺.
I love the beautiful picture of Queen Latifah. Happy birthday to her!
Happy Birthday to your daughter! Those are lovely gifts.
Hey, If you would like another daughter, I’m available! =)
Seriously, Happy Birthday to her. She is blessed to have such a great mom =)
Happy birthday to your daughter! Sounds like a lovely menu and celebration.
I’m happy to have mine home for the week.
Wow, that sounds like an amazing birthday. Best wishes to your daughter!
Happy birthday to your girl and congrats on the wonderful gifts.
What a generous mama you are! Enjoy your celebration!
I’m notoriously terrible at buying presents for my boys (the issue may be that all they want is technology)…. I would love to have the perfect cake surrounded by the perfect gifts one year for them! (But it would help if they liked perfume and soaps!). Enjoy the evening and your daughter’s happy surprise!
I have a son and a daughter, and the daughter is easier to buy gifts for. And more fun
I take it she likes Jo Malone? Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Thanks for the birthdays wishes for my daughter
Yes, she just started liking Jo Malone. Prior to this, she was only wearing a few fragrances — Laila by Geir Ness, Chancel Chance Tendre and Marc Jacobs Daisy Fresh. We were shopping back in January, and she loved English Pear & Freesia. I bought her the bath oil.
The last few times she has been home, she has sprayed herself with the Wood Sage & Sea Salt or White Jasmine & Mint. The White Jasmine & Mint happened only last week, and I had already bought the other two scents I mentioned.
your daughter has great taste
She and I can go shopping. JM is my absolute favorite. I really hopes she enjoys it. I can probably give her a few pointers on some good ones to mix.
Happy birthday to your daughter
Excellent choices!
Such a lovely way to celebrate!
Both you and your daughter clearly have great taste in food and scents. I hope it is a great day for you both!
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
OH,WOW! I hope your daughter loves her JM gifts. I would be in heaven!
I wear Queen on a regular basis, sadly not today. Instead, I’m wearing TWO big spritzes of Cuir de Russie from a swap decant. Lovely stuff and I enjoy it much more than Cuir de Lancôme, of which I have a full bottle. Of course.
My Stir fry turned out fabulous and my only regret is that I didn’t add more of the home made sauce. Next time I will know. Eating leftovers for lunch right now.
A busy weekend is upon me and I’m finding I still have a whole lot to do and not much time-EEP! I better get crack-a-lackin’! Good thing I work well under pressure.
Hope everyone has a fragrant and relaxing weekend =)
I like a goopy stir fry. Although, I’m always trying to balance having enough sauce and not ODing on soy sauce (and all that sodium)!
Cuir de Russie > everything else.
You smell great!!
CdR works much better for me, too, than CdL. You smell great!
Lizbee, I am definitely a fan of Confetto and was glad you said something about the cream now available. I often get compliments when I wear Confetto, too.
I’m wearing Santal Massoia and contemplating the eternal Hermessence debate: “Is it worth the money if it is so lovely but so ephemeral?” Thanks so much to the wonderful Hermes sales associate who gave me 4 tube samples of it when I bought a traveler set last year – I will be able to live off my samples for a few more months before having to make the decision.
Work has been super nuts so I haven’t been able to post at my normal time (lunchtime), but I have been reading the SOTD post every night before going to sleep – reading so much good-nature conversation and thinking about beautiful perfumes has really helped me relax. Thanks to everyone for being so awesome to each other, and for having such interesting lives and excellent taste.
If you do not mind re-applying and you like it so much – go for it! But do you really need a big bottle? Will you wear it often enough? Even though less economical, it might make sense to find and buy on eBay a travel bottle (15 ml), and use it. Spray application will work better than dab from a tube, and the bottle will serve you for longer than those tubes – even though it’s the same size (in ml total).
I’m also busy this month, but it’s nice to come here when I have time and read what others have been up to.
Your 2nd paragraph is spot on. This website is such a great corner of the world, with such great conversations and people. We are so lucky. It’s my escape from work stress too!!
Hope all calms down with great success at your work.
Love Queen Lattifah. Wearing five sprays of Shalimar for hedonist Saturday.
You smell hedonistically lovely.
Is ‘hedonistically’ a word?
It sure is now!
You smell amazing!!!!!
Thank you!
Spent all morning on the phone with Verizon trying to get wifi to work — arrggghh! When technology works it’s brilliant, but when it doesn’t it’s just so frustrating.
Heading down to Noho later for coffee with a friend, and hope to pop into a shop or two for a sniffa.
SOTD: VC&A’s Orchidee Vanille
My internet craps out every 3 years or so…and there is never a satisfactory answer. It’s not all that expensive but I always ask for a credit for the problematic time period even of the issue is intermittent.
You smell great!
Oh, Saturday, how I love thee!
Lazing around this morning, drinking coffee and trying out some vintage Chanel 5 Eau de cologne (thank you SunnyDay!). It is lovely, I think I’ll be putting off my shower for a while.
Excited for a ladies’ poker night tonight with some coworkers. Hmm, not sure what perfume goes with poker…
Spent way too much on perfume the past couple weeks. How can I resist the STC and TPC sales that came up? Just about to hop into the shower wearing Shalimar Ode a la Vanille and then switch over to SDV. It’s just a vanilla day for me.
Went to a choir rehearsal this morning, and haven’t put on any scent yet.
Just want to say that’s a gorgeous picture of Queen latifah, and I’ve been using a bit of Queen body butter before bedtime for weeks now. It’s not a traditionally calming kind of scent, but it works for me.
Happy weekend, everyone!
SOTM is a quick spritz of 24 Faubourg. Not sure what I’ll choose post-shower for a sprint through the rain to a haircut appointment. I’m lucky to have a hairdresser who loves all my favorite perfumes, and loves smelling new things. AND is brilliant at cutting hair.
I’ve been trying to think of a polite way to tell my stylist that whatever she puts on at the end stinks to high heaven and lingers for DAYS. I think it’s some sort of gloss to help with the little bit of color I have added, and it’s gawd-awful “salon” stinky!
I would just say it — I don’t like the stuff you put on my hair. What other products with the same benefits are available?
I always let mine experiment with styling products on my hair (it’s research for her AND me), and sometimes it just doesn’t work for me at all. If I remember what it was the next time I see her I’ll usually mention that I didn’t care for whatever it was, and she’s always grateful for the feedback. No hard feelings whatsoever.
That’s a stunning picture of Queen Latifah. I love her so much . If I would have known it were her bday today, I woukd have worn my Queen perfume.
Today, I am wearing Neroli and Basil by Jo Malone. Its just a clean, fresh scent that I enjoy. Have a really bad migraine today and didnt want anything too sweet. So, this is just right. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! ????
Hope your migraine passes and you can have a peaceful weekend.
2nd.
Hope your migraine goes away. They’re the worst!
Neroli & Basil is lovely. I hope you feel better soon.
Thanks everyone! I am feeling better!
Wow, scent twins and migraine twins today. Glad to see you’re feeling better.
I started in Barbara Bui for my flute choir concert but will spray some Queen when I get home!
I am wearing Chandler Burr Untitled Series 2 #8. I don’t recall what it actually is–something pink with peonies. I wish he’d do more of these. I was annoyed when the response to this one was various forms of outrage that it was a common sort of mall scent–like the respondants expected some rare, discontinued gem at a discounted price. I enjoyed playing the game.
In any case, I needed something uncomplicated, pretty, and not requiring too much of my attention today, and it has fit the bill.
Must have been a celebrity fragrance. (wink-wink)
Actually, I’m pretty sure it was!
Something called Darling Kylie Minogue?
That’s it, according to Luckyscent. And composed by Thierry Wasser, no less!
Hey, that makes my choice seem less low-brow!
Although I should say, if you gave me a celebrity line-up with Kylie Minogue, a Kardashian, and anyone from TV the past 10 years, I wouldn’t be able to pick Minogue out.
Kylie is blonde, Australian, and has done some cute songs, unlike the Ks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63vqob-MljQ
Good to know I’m supporting some talent, even if it is by proxy.
And thank goodness she picks up that package later on in the video. It was making me twitch to see it fall and not get taken care of!
Good morning from TOH. Autumn, he arrives! We had a tattered sort of summer, but Autumn looks as though he knows what he ‘s about. Great! I can start wearing warmer perfumes–yes, yes, I see you, Loukhoum, settle down now, you’ll get your turn– and my winter-ish clothes. I tend to like my winter clothes more than my summer ones: they feel more completely styled, somehow.
I felt I should wear Queen because of the lady’s birthday, and because I really do like her namesake perfume, but it’s already the day after here. And besides, I have a yen for my last few drops of 28 La Pausa. Oh yes, this is definitely a POID. I suspect a bottle will be mine before the end of the month. I don’t understand how so many people find that the Exclusifs have poor longevity. I get several hours of clear scent experience with a gentle sillage, then a couple more of private perfume time when the far dry down has become a gorgeous skin scent containing memories and whispers of the whole affaire. Lovely!
I sometimes wonder why I have such an affinity for Chanel, but I can’t explain it. I suppose it’s as mysterious as finding I like mango but not tamarillo, and cinnamon and cumin but not pepper or chilli.
Enjoy your weekends, all.
Have you been back to Jo Malone yet as I think you might like some of the Bloomsbury scents for autumn. Mandarin and Tobacco was nice, and the leather one.
No, but I should. I can always go to the S&C counter, since I find myself so repelled by the attitude of calm superiority at the JM boutique.
Hey, our summer was pathetic, but autumn is being glorious! Hope it holds until you come up! I was looking at the timings for your trip, BTW, and unfortunately, you arrive after the last class for the semester. Damn! I would LOVE to have you speak to my Y3 Tuesday morning class. Maybe we can organise something for S2.
I’ll probably be back in September
Hi Waterdragon. Aren’t you coming to the States? Will you be in northern California? I feel like you may have said so at some point. Let me know if you’ll be in SF Bay Area and want to see the east side of the Bay! I’m at ann dotty eisenberg attagirl comcast dotty net should the fancy strike. ????
SOTD = Aftelier Wild Roses layered with Vanilla Smoke
Oh yes I did! Ni think the world needs more Rose Vanilla perfumes. Any recommendations?
I need to thin out some sludgy samples. How should I thin them out? With some kind of oil or alcohol? Where would I get them in small quantities?
Update regarding the company that reneged on a one-of-a-kind item I bought that they decided to pull back, giving me some lame excuse about a software glitch:
My request on what can be done to make amends for what occurred was accepted, and then some (not that much more, but it was a gesture). The owner of the company emailed and called me, but I have not responded as I had been too busy. I am formulating a response. I am waiting for the package to arrive and if the quality is good, I will take advantage of the larger discount on a future purchase. At the end of the day, I don’t think that my disappointment about the lack of integrity can be fixed by any “perks”.
There’s always using a bit of vodka!
True. Maybe I can get one of the tiny bottles.
That’s great that the owner took your complaint seriously enough to email and phone in an attempt to find a solution , all steps in the right direction!
I agree. I still want to be constructive in my response….the website has a few inconsistencies that ought to be fixed.
perfumer’s alcohol
https://www.amazon.com/Perfume-Studio-Perfumers-Equivalent-AFTERSHAVE/dp/B00N5IBEAY
Woot! You get an enabler pin
So glad you’re here ChocolateMarzipan as I’ve been waiting to ask you a question. I want to infuse some sweetgrass in oil and was wondering if I should dry it first or place in in the oil freshly picked. Do you have a suggestion? Could try both I suppose. Do you think almond oil would be a good choice?
http://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/making-herbal-infused-oils
Thanks so much. You are a star!
It’s good to see you
I know you’re a spritzer and not a dabber! I would say if you want a quick fix for an apparently dark oily sludge, use jojoba oil if you’re willing to dab. If you’re willing to wait for the spritzing experience, use perfumer’s alcohol. There are many sources for small amounts (including The Perfumer’s Apprentice), but that method requires a waiting period. Straight up vodka and Everclear also work as solvents, but any alcohol added to perfume will tend to dominate unless you’re willing to let the whole shebang meld for at least a month. Personally, I figure if I’ve gotten to the sludge point, reconstituting with alcohol and waiting will result in a whole new sludge to be discovered down the pike. Ymmv.
You know me well :-). I unearthed some Aftelier samples that I hate to waste. I will put perfumer’s alcohol in the EDPs. The parfums survived the test of time!
Bet you smell gorgeous!
Thank you! I was in and out of cold and warm. Wild Roses was prominent in the warmth and Vanilla Smoke in the cold.
Today, I am trying out Amber Tapesty EDP and I could barely smell it. I will try the parfum to see if that works better!
The only one I have is Mancera Roses Vanilla, would love to find others.
Yes! So far, you’re the only one with a suggestion. Perfumers, take heed!
Seconding the Mancera suggestion. That one is lovely.
SOTD = the lovely Durga. It has quieted down now and I keep sniffing my wrist. Adorable hubby said, “That smells good. You smell really good”, this morning.
More justification for buying a bottle. AH is very discriminating. He will say, Eeh, that’s ok, to most things. The three scents he says smell really good on me are 1. FM Iris Poudre, 2. NV Mohur Extrait, and now this 3. D.S & Durga Durga. 
I am a fortunate woman…. Now I need to finish my grocery shopping and go home and stir up a batch of kim chi. It’s raining here today…too wet to start cleaning up the garden.
Hellooo dear NSTers! I’m sitting pretty in Tauer Incense Rose today, and wishing I had gallons of the stuff. It is just the prettiest thing. On my purchase list it goes. For, you know, that time in the distant future when I will no longer be on a no-buy.
I went to my parents’ house in DC this week, and instead of eating piles of my mother’s delicious cooking, I had an emergency wisdom tooth pulling! So I’ve eaten almost none of her amazing food. Due to complications, I now have a numb face that MAY get feeling back sometime in the next year. Still coming to terms with this.
In the meantime, the gorgeous cherry blossoms that lined every single street when I got here a week ago have now turned dead and brown thanks to the snow. It’s incredibly sad.
Happy swapping, all!
EGADS! Sorry about the tooth trouble! Sounds horrendous! Being completely numb is often times a blessing. I read about that sad Cherry Blossom affair????
So much for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival
And thanks for the support
Oh no! Hoping your pain is better soon!
Thanks! It’s been most of a week since the surgery, so there is minimal pain, but lots of discomfort. Blech.
Wisdom tooth surgery is pretty bad even under the best circumstances. I hope you heal quickly, and that the numbness goes away.
Thanks
me too!!
Wishing you a speedy recovery. I hate the feeling of being numb too. I usually have to go straight to bed in hopes of waking up and having my normal face back.
Every morning when I wake up, I poke at my face hopefully. My hopes are consistently dashed.
They say the DC cherry blossoms are mostly OK after all. The saucer magnolias are a terrible mess, though: covered with large, dead, brown flowers that don’t seem to fall off.
Ouch! Or perhaps I should say the no ouch is not such a good thing. I hope you heal soon!
I’m heading out to visit a botantist today and we’re going out on the peninsula to search out coumarin scented Karetu ( or Holy Grass ) and native orchids. It’s a beautiful sunny day so might head to the beach afterwards for a walk and sea lion spotting. I won’t wear perfume as I don’t want to be distracted.
I have a fancy for exploring patchouli scents this week. Any suggestions most welcome.
Hoping you will update NST about your peninsular Karetu adventure. It sounds glorious.
I am arm chair traveling your sunny day and hunt for Karetu!
Montale Patchouli Leaves, SL Borneo, CdG Luxe Patchouli, Jalaine Patchouli, and then of course my favourite patchouli roses L’Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses and FM Portrait of a Lady.
Have you tried Reminiscence Patchouli, Kanuka?
Could not check in yesterday, but I did participate by wearing Fleur de Chine (in the absence of my bottle of Boutonniere). I’m in Velvet Gardenia today – not a very weekend casual scent, but I was craving it and it’s gorgeous.
I hope to finish reading Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing today (absolutely loving it so far) and go and test Rahele tomorrow.
I just have to go ahead and “boast” about the fact that Yaa Gyasi sang in the same a cappella group as I did
I’m not sure I’ve ever met her, but I feel privileged to, uh, have had Facebook interactions with her! Anyway, I need to read that. Everyone seems to adore it.
Bragging rights!????
She sings, too? There is no end to her talents, is there? I loved Homegoing, and I’m looking forward to whatever she writes next.
Now that I think of it, it makes total sense – the way she writes about singing, remember? I just finished the book, I haven’t read anything as good for a long time.
Super busy day today, spritzing and running with Mon Parfum Chéri.
SotD = McQueen edp from a generously sized sample, and I’m wearing the whole thing. At first this reminds me of Terracotta Le Parfum with its nice florals, but has less of the tropical feel. Next there is a faint hint of bubble gum. I like it.
I wish I had a favorite celebrity scent. I’ve tried to wear SJP’s Stash, Lovely, and Lovely Sheer. They each smell so nice sniffed from the bottle and on paper. I wanted to love them but I don’t get the same scent when I wear them. Oh well. It’s fun to try. The 100 ml sample-sized Lovely Sheer is perfumath free.
Happy birthday to Queen Latifah! Anyone else having a birthday today?
Busy day car shopping and the mall. Had to go to the mall with my son to rent a tux for prom. He’s going to look quite stylish I must say! Sprayed on Dior Homme Cologne at the mall- seemed fitting for a warm spring day. Also excited to participate in my first swap today.
Now just resting before a night out with my guy. The spray from earlier is wearing off so trying to decide what to wear tonight- Noir de Noir, Lonesome Rider, or Amber Sultan. All pretty dense but they’re some of my bf’s favs. What say you?
Two thumbs up for Ambre Sultan.
Ha! That’s what I went with.
So have you got a new car? I’ve never car shopped for myself, but watching parents or boyfriends do it has always been really stressful.
I do not. I couldn’t make a decision so I decided to think about it for a couple of days. I have it narrowed to three though, so that’s pretty good for me.
Good luck making the final decision
I don’t know what your options are over there, but I was able to “shop” for my car online before arriving to the lot. I emailed three different dealers and comparison shopped prices (and did a little negotiating) before going to the lot who offered me the best deal. Then I did the test drive to confirm my choice. Made it much less stressful for me.
That’s what I did! I already had about 5 or six picked out and then just went to drive some. I had specific criteria (how many miles, how old, colors etc) and so searched online before just going out walking around. It helped a lot!
One of my cousins used to work as a service manager at a Honda dealership. At family reunions, 90% of the cars were Honda. When he moved to Toyota, most of us switched. I remember just telling him the make / model / color and he took care of the rest. He no longer works at a car dealership but the cousins still ask him to help with car shopping or recommendations. For my current car, a Subaru Forester, I did research via Consumer Reports, using safety as the primary criteria. I considered and test drove a Toyota RAV 4 but in the end, I felt that the RAV 4 just did not have the right shape and went with the Subaru. Good luck with your decision!
I have a Honda and a Toyota on my shirt list! They’re great vehicles!
Haven’t worn the beautiful Chanel no 5 L’eau for awhile, so went with that today.
I made my lucky hot wings this afternoon and the Badgers won!! Woo hoo! March Madness!
I love that one! Almost sprayed myself with it at the mall. You smell great.
Congratulations! That was a great game.
GO BIG BLUE!
Mr. Spicebomb is gone all weekend (left Wednesday night) to Reno with some guyfriends, watching Oregon on the big screens and making a game of it. I admit, I don’t get it, but I can appreciate all the games at once is quite a spectacle.
Wearing original Stella McCartney Stella. I bought this about a decade ago when my interest in perfume really accelerated but haven’t worn it in a while.
Stella really is lovely.
Agreed. A simple, but beautiful rose.
Wearing Angel today for a day of outdoor skating and traveling hither and yon on the slow subways…
You smell terrific!
Ah I should’ve worn Queen or Queen of Hearts today. As it is, I was just in Ulta sniffing around so I’m wafting an unholy combination of things.
I was going through some stuff in my study earlier today and I came across a bottle of a DIY thing I did some time ago. It’s actually aged decently. I mean, it’s not perfect but it’s a solid effort I’d say. Too bad I didn’t bother to label the bottle because now I have no idea what it was. Hopefully I can look at my notebook and figure it out.
I really enjoy smelling like an unholy combination of things! It’s a sign of a day well-spent, even if it never helps me make up my mind.
I’m wearing an overdose of Neroli Outrenoir because I’m in the process of making 6 different decants with an unremovable bulb atomizer. (I assumed it came off when I offered to swap decants of it- I have signed up for more work than I thought!)
Ha! I was about to email you to find out how you were able to decant…
VERY CAREFULLY
A stainless steel funnel, a slightly larger decant bottle, pipettes…. and an audio book. I was thinking about cutting the top of the atomizer off with bolt cutters, but I didn’t want to risk hitting glass when I’d promised fumes to people!
I had to decant a bit of 2015 Diptyque Essences Insensees yesterday…aka the jasmine one.
It also has a non-removable bulb sprayer.
it was all kinds of fail.
I think I may try to remove the top and put the juice in something else. I am also skeptical that it is truly sealed and not evaporating in the closed position.
If anyone has removed the bulb from any of the Diptyque Essences Insensees please let me know how it went.
Death to bulb sprayers…at least with old Guerlan bottles they were removable.
+ 1 on death to unremoveable bulb atomizers. You have to use 2 hands to apply and decanting is a messy affair. I am boycotting perfumes that only come with a non-removeable bulb atomizer.
I find bulb atomizers awkward for ordinary spraying, let alone decanting. It’s really a shame that the Diptyque bottles don’t come with an alternative cap. They’re limited editions, so I’d really like to keep mine for a long time but agree I don’t trust the seal.
Also, they are such special bottles, one would like to be able to reuse them or clean them out for display.
Seeing off spring break in Rose de Mai soliflore. A light, refreshing rose, and very welcome in this VERY WARM spring weather. I’m supposed to make dumplings today, and I know it won’t actually be that difficult, but I just can’t seem to get started. But if I don’t what will be my dinner? Better get moving.
Wearing Ormonde Jayne Tiare. Good G*d this is great juice! Why don’t I wear this ALL the time?! Seriously! It’s lovely. The top notes are so citrussy, the middle is so mossy, and in the dry down I get some note that reminds me of my grandparents house on the beach in the early 80s (it’s not beachy exactly– but it must share a note with my grandparents’ old suntan lotion). The smell reminds me of a very specific part of my childhood: the feeling of contentment, sun-warmed skin after a day on the beach, salt and seaweed, unconditional love, and classy people that love you. Who could ask for a better perfume?
It sounds perfect!
It *is* lovely. I used to love almost all OJ scents, but the similarity of the base/Iso E Super eventually started to annoy me. I have to leave long periods between wearings now to enjoy them properly.
That is exactly how I feel about the brand! Still love it – just spaced enough in time.
I was torn between Tiare and Tolu, as they were similar enough in the dry downs. I ended up with Tolu, but I could totally wear Tiare happily!
I am buying an OJ sample set in the near future and I’ll have to get that one. Sounds like something I’d love!
We were allowed to buy tester’s today(from my liquidating store) we didn’t have many, but I got a bottle of the original Juicy Couture for me, and Tommy Girl for my daughter (she loved it). 3 dollars each, so…..free right? Sotd was Gucci Rush.
Better than free
Coincidentally, I am pretty sure I smelled Viva la Juicy wafting from a teenager leaving the library as I was walking in.
Anyone in the U.S. interested in splitting VC&A Moonlight Patchouli? I have a 75 mL sample coming my way next week and will have 5 and 10 mL splits available. I took advantage of the Rewarding Beauty event at Bergdorf so there is a little bit of discount. I was perusing the swapmeet and saw several interested parties ;-). This was a lemming from Lucas!
I forgot to mention – click on my username to get my email. Please email me instead of leaving a comment here.
Hi Hajusuuri, I contacted you about Moonlight Patchouli but I am not sure if it went through. Please let me know. Thanks!
I am wearing my new obsession which is Chanel Boy from a sample.
I’m hoping to sample that at the Chanel boutique in Vegas in a couple weeks! I haven’t tried Beige, either, and there’s enough love out there to warrant a sniff. (Although I remember the Chanel folks being less friendly than, say, the lovely people at Barney’s.)
I agree about the lovely people at Barney’s. During our last trip to Vegas I had a wonderful, patient sales associate while I perused many fragrances. I ended up purchasing SL Bois de Violette and was given 5 free samples as well. We will be back in Vegas in a few weeks as well so will have to make a return trip there.
I didn’t buy anything last time I was there, and the SA was STILL patient and helpful!
Wow, that speaks volumes. I believe Barney’s had some Chanel product the last time I was there so I will check into it further when I’m there.
I also love Beige, you should try the extrait. I agree that it is a challenge to get samples in Chanel Boutique, anyways here in Montreal, maybe it is different in U.S.
Whenever I ask, they tell me the same thing, I should buy a bottle in order to get samples, I tell them that I already bought several bottles from them in the past, even then sometimes they refuse.
I told them I wanted to sample the extrait version of a couple scents I already owned in other concentrations, and instead they said I had to just buy them untested. Seemed very bizarre to me, since anyone who knows scent knows the extraits can be so different!
Off to watch b’ball with my mother (also a huge fan) and wearing L’AP Vanille Absolutment. My bottle finally arrived after being *lost in the mail*!! I actually didn’t think I’d get it.
Have a great Sunday all (or Monday if you’re down under)!
GO BIG BLUE!
That’s one I like to actually wear around other people, too. Good luck!
I had a good day yesterday, until around 4pm, when a migraine truck rammed into my head. Stabbing pain, nausea (and more, but you don’t need the details), and I was in bed by 7pm. I still feel a bit of a “migraine hangover” this morning, and I’m taking it easy. I’ve had 6 migraines in as many weeks, and it is a very distressing turn of events! Please someone tell me this isn’t a normal part of transitioning to middle age! (Other changes make me think I’m heading towards perimenopause.)
Needless to say, no fragrance until I feel better.
I’m in perimenopause myself. Not particularly enjoying it, either. Haven’t had migraines, which I *did* have during puberty and at no other time, but it’s probably one of those areas where a wide variety of symptoms is within the bounds of “normal.”
Hope you’re feeling better soon.
Thanks, mals! I fear the two are related as prior to 6 weeks ago, nearly every migraine appeared the day before my period. I have a few other triggers (dark chocolate, stinky cheeses, not enough sleep, too much sleep), but none of those have been in evidence recently!
I guess being “normal” can have its plusses and minuses. Certainly “normal aging” would be a better explanation than, say, a growth in my head.
I wouldn’t describe them as migraines but I did get very severe headaches from low estrogen during my cycle while in perimenopause. My sympathies to you.
When did they appear in your cycle? (Or another way to ask that–how did you know you were low estrogen?)
It was during my periods, when the estrogen has dropped to its lowest point in the cycle (according to the doctor).
And it was all over in like a year, right?
I am beyond middle age at this point. However, I never had peri-menopause and my menopause was unrecognizable except for finally my period ceasing (it took quite a while). I have always exercised regular throughout my life and wonder if that had any part of my easy menopause.
Well, if exercise is the solution, I should be set! I’m in the gym about 300 minutes a week these days!
make sure you don’t get dehydrated
Yeah, that’s been on my radar for sure. But since I’m primarily a weightlifter, and it’s still dang cold in these parts, I’m not sweating all that much. I’ve been mindful to finish off and replenish my water bottle each day, anyway.
My head cold of the past couple of days has migrated into a nasty chest-hurting cough and general malaise. Bleargh. I can still smell, however, so I did enjoy yesterday’s Henry Dunay Sabi (a decant gifted me by a fumie friend, gorgeous elegant green floral) and am enjoying today’s Mary Greenwell Plum.
It’s a beastly blue Monday here. It doesn’t matter what’s on my To Do list, I don’t want to do it. As a working principle for today, I’m going to operate on the basis that I hate the whole world and it hates me back. I don’t like my outfit, but I can’t be bothered changing it. I didn’t want to waste any of my scented lovelies on myself when I’m in such a black mood, so I decided to go commando, but suddenly, I was enveloped in a cloud of Queen of the Night. Richard, slightly worried about me and pretty much fed up with me, randomly picked a scent and sprayed me, to cheer me up, he said. Mmmpphhh. Then he said I smell like a brothel, so I asked how he knew, so he said he was imagining it, so I said engineers don’t run to imagination, and then we both laughed, which helped both of us, but it’s still a blue Monday . I think the day has come for me to hand in my notice. I’ve had enough.
Sounds like a great plan – I highly recommend retirement!
Yes, give the university the boot and get a part time job at the Chanel boutique and have some fun!!! Or open a perfume parlour in Whanganui…they need it. It’s anniversary day here so a holiday. Hope the rest of your week perks up. If not, resign.
My boss has asked me to hold off till the end of the year, but I don’t know that I will. I’m utterly over it at the moment. For some reason, I’m very tired and I don’t seem to be bouncing back.
Maybe it’s because you dread going into work every day. Look for another job and when you get it, if you still feel this way, maybe you should get yourself checked out. It could just be something simple.
Ugh. A year can go very slowly. Maybe your trip away to USA will give you space to decide on your future.
Wearing Queen today because I was a slacker yesterday. Pretty sure The Queen would forgive me. And what about Missy Elliot?? Doesn’t she have and eponymously named perfume? Who can forget “Get your freak on”- one of my all time faves!
I’m pooped out! Who knew wrangling sheets of 1/2″ plywood, cabinetry, and tools could be so exhausting? Not to mention the various splinters, sliced fingers, and busted toe nail. Note to self- Do Not construct anything while wearing sandals
Really wish I had time to participate in the Swap Meet because I need to say Buh-Bye, hit the road Jack, don’t look back, to several perfumes that are taking up valuable space. Maybe next time.
Hope everyone is having a superb weekend!
Road trip in one week’s time! I wish you well in your preparations and your journey! What kind of wi-fi arrangements do you have?
Thanks! Leaving Wednesday- gulp! So much to DO! WiFi will be hit or miss, mostly free stuff at shops, coffee houses, housing, etc. probably no wifi when I’m out in the boonies camping, mostly LTE on my phone.
Lazy Sunday morning, still in PJ’s at 11am. But a spritz of Oyedo is feeling springy!
I’m wearing Chanel Jersey today. I realized I wear Jersey much less than my other Exclusifs. I have already bought 4 new perfumes (new to me) in the month of March (which has two more weeks to go). Every time I say I am not buying anything for a few months, I succumb and buy something (except for several years back when I could not buy even one in 6 months…but I sure made up for it.
SOTD=originally was Tauer’s Incense Rose, which stays pretty roses on my skin with incense coming and going and coming back again. Uncomplicated but pretty and soothing to me in the way most Tauer’s are. I like this, I might buy a bottle when my sample is gone.
Now it has to sit and ferment for a few days. This is my first attempt at this, but I am optimistic.
The perfume has been overtaken on my hands by the aromas of the various ingredients for homemade Kim chi which I just stirred up, cabbage, onions, radishes, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, Korean hot pepper powder. You massage it to work the spices into the cabbage, but this also works those odors into your hands.
I love kimchi! My stepmother is Korean and we eat it often. I’m going going to Korea for 10 days in October and and wait! You smell great to me, even if you don’t to others!
Oh, that sounds like such an adventure! Where in Korea? I love to travel…..
I love travel too! It’s pretty much what I live for lol. Particularly excited as this will be first trip to Asia. We are going to Busan which is on the coast. My dad says it’s like the San Francisco of Korea haha. He and my stepmom live there now and it will be our first trip to visit.
All that fermentation is so good for your gut! Not to mention your taste buds. I used to make homemade kombucha with various berries and spices added to the second fermentation- such refreshing, zingy, sparkle in a hot day! Enjoy your Kim chi????
I make homemade kefir which is fermented too!
Hello, hello! Busy weekend as an old University friend visited with her now 13-year-old daughter (gulp!). Highlight was a visit to Cadbury World, as both are chocaholics.
Scents of the weekend were:
– Profumi di Pantellaria “Maestrale”;
– L’Artisan “Timbuktu”;
– Amouage “Interlude Man”.
Better run now to catch my DUS flight. :^)
There’s a place called Cadbury World??? OMG, for me that would be like Hogwarts and Narnia and Oz rolled into one, plus there’s chocolate!
I have looked it up and I am definitely going the next time I’m in England.
We have a cadbury World in Dunedin, too. Sadly they announced the closure of the cadbury factory last week with the loss of 360 jobs
Had a really interesting walk with a retired botantist yesterday out on Otago Peninsula. Three extremely scented palnts. The first was in his garden, an orchid endemic to New Zealand called Raupeka or Easter Orchid. Beautiful clusters of small waxy white flowers with a very heady scent of jasmine, vanilla, truffle oil and then something pretty fusty like a faded sweet chlorine. A bit like Tom Ford’s Black Orchid but stronger and ‘ damper’.
http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/local-native-orchids/easter-orchid-earina-autumnalis.html
The second plant was the holy grass or karetu that formed one of the key components of the grand Maori perfume. This was a glossy green grass ( a bit like young toi toi leaves) and when crushed smells like hay and caramel but with a bitter leafy green undertone. This grass was used to scent whare ( houses) of the chiefs when dried and laid out on the floor. Alternatively it would be dried and woven into fragrant belts or necklaces or it would be added to a compund with various sweet resins and pork oil and heated for several days, with the scented oil being poured off into small gourds etc. i will dry it and the infuse it in oil and see what happens. The third plant was a pittosporum with very hard berries and black seeds , very sticky when opened that smell like pitch, or coal-tar but also witha spicy, gum-like base. Beautiful scent. The one hour walk took four hours as every grass, weed, plant told a story…native geraniums, native fuschias with juicy fruit ( tiny berries) that tasted like cranberries, a tiny gunnera with nitrogen fixing bacteria in its stem nodule . Amazing day, beautiful weather.
This sounds AH-MAZING, Kanuka. Holy grass sounds like a more natural version of vetiver, not in smell per se, but in its possible uses.
When you crush the leaves it has a kind of green tea chai latte scent. It is in the same family as sweetgrass ( Sweetgrass, OaklandF or Creosote mentioned that some time ago).
How wonderful! What a great day. I can see the country in my mind’s eye, and smell the smells. I want to be there too!
I love that kind of stuff! Learning about the natural world has always been high on my love list. Glad you had a fabulous day????
How beautiful! Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m googling images of Otago . . .
The place is called Sandymount. A hill on the peninsula that is usually windswept so the trees grow sideways and there are ventifacts . Not a breath of wind yesterday. The hill sits above Sandfly Bay which is famous for yellow eyed penguins ( hoiho). The hill was once covered in naive bush but then cleared for farmland and we saw one of the last two kahikatea ( white pines) in the whole Otago area…bit sobering. Kahikatea soot was used in tattooing, and the wood for the waka ( canoes).
The most beautiful of all our native trees, I think.
Your plant walk sounds enchanting and has me quite jealous.
Yes, amazing, thanks for telling us about it! I want those black berries!
Started the day with a little Il Profumum Ginger, which is nice but doesn’t last long, and then the also fleeting Diptyque mimosa. Now, on to Idole de Lubin, the original EdT, a surpassingly strange perfume. Spices and woods usually add up to a warm fragrance, but this one is surprisingly cool and distant. I think one of the keys may be the doum palm note.
According to Wikipedia, doum palm is commonly referred to as the gingerbread tree and has been used for medicine as well as food. I think I remember that it reminded me a bit of Juicy Fruit gum, but really it’s not exactly like anything else. Another unusual note is black cumin – but which one?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_cumin
One is similar to caraway, the other is nigella.
Been very busy this weekend with my perfume job yesterday, a concert last night, staying up way later than usual and sleeping in today. On top of that grocery shopping for the week had to get done. Relaxing now with the sun streaming in the apartment and rogan josh chicken in the crockpot while browsing through the swapmeet. Scents of the weekend have been testing out a new, limited edition Olympic Orchids perfume Hamsa that isn’t out quite yet, Maison Anonyme Pale Fire to see the band Japandroids last night, and Diptyque Eau de Lierre out to brunch and the grocery store today.
My partial bottle of Arquiste Boutonniere arrived yestday, so I’m excited to wear it tomorrow.