Happy Earth Day! We're marking the occasion with our usual open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your favorite spot on Earth, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
(Please note that I am on the road today and will probably not be able to join in until late.)
Note: top image is What is your favorite...Old, New, Aqua, Blue, White or Black Marble? [cropped] by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center at flickr; some rights reserved.
Happy Earth Day!
Also happy Record Store Day! I’m camped outside my store, since about 5:45 am. Wearing a thin veil of MFK’s Aqua Vitae, a super luminous perfume. I’ve got my list ready!!
Aww, I love record stores! I remember blowing my hard earned babysitting money at Hastings (I think?) on pretty much ch a weekly basis.
In later years, I loved Blockbuster…they would unseal any CD and let you listen to it at the listening bar. I spent lots of quality time there!
Anyway, I hope you find absolutely everything on your list. ????
It was excellent! I got some cool things, Including a rare promo copy of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love! I spent way too much, though not as much as my friend….
I love searching for records. You never know what you might find.
Oooh Hounds of Love, thats one of my favourite albums…ever!
Congrats on a great find, enjoy 🙂
Good morning everyone! Earth Day is the anniversary of my husband’s and my first date, celebrated today by a quick peck on the cheek on his way out the door with our 7th grader to a big choir competition in Kansas City, MO, which is a few hours away. Daniel is excited because it’s being held at an amusement park. I get to cocoon on a cool, damp morning with some new samples. Loving Atelier des Ors Iris Fauve, MFK Absolue Pour le Soir and zoologist Civet. Tea of the day is my favorite–Harney’s Queen Catherine.
Great to read Iris Fauve is to your liking
Another Iris Fauve raises her hand. ✋
Iris Fauve fan that is 😉
It’s gorgeous. In an eyes-rolling-back-in-the-head kind of way.
Good luck to your seventh grader!! I miss choir competitions.
Thanks, we’re pretty proud of him. You can always tell when it’s him in the shower. He gets in there and just sings whatever he feels like.
That’s adorable!
He sounds like my kind of kid 🙂
Happy Anniversary Sapphire and Happy Earth Day. I’m joining you in Iris solidarity today. I’ve got on Iris 39 perfume oil and I also mixed a few drops of oil into some unscented lotion. Just checked the notes of your fragrance and I must get a sample one day! It sounds fabulous 🙂
I have a couple of rather pedestrian questions, if you all don’t mind, from deep down in the rabbit hole:
1. Is there a site you trust most to give accurate manufacturing date info from bottle label batch codes? I know of checkcosmetic dot net, but am not sure of it’s veracity.
2. Is it wise to store your fragrance collection in the fridge? I live in a warm climate, so I keep almost all of mine in a dresser drawer except for a few I have out for active use.
3. To eBay or not to eBay: that is my question. Armed with a way to determine the age of a bottle from the batch code, are there any other ways to avoid getting a ‘fake’? I guess I have the same question about Etsy, although Etsy is less intimidating, for some reason.
Thanks, and sorry this is such a long post! ????
Hi, Nancy. I hope some other people will jump in and share some knowledge, but I’ll tell you my thoughts.
1. I don’t bother with batch codes, period. But then I’m really really not a Guerlain pursuer.
2. Heat and light seem to be the biggest enemies of fragrance, true. I am not sure just *how* warm your climate is, but if you have air conditioning I don’t know whether the fridge would be necessary. I seem to remember at least one perfume blogger (Bonkers about Perfume) experimenting with keeping her perfume in a wine storage unit with temperatures not as cold as the fridge, though I think she may have given it up at some point. The only thing I keep in the fridge myself is AG Petite Cherie, which has a reputation for going off easily, and I will say that my bottle is 8 years old now and still smells great.
3. I love ebay. I don’t mind used, I adore minis, and I don’t insist on pristine packaging, so ebay has been good to me. However, you’re wise to be wary. Fakes abound. Juice might look perfectly fine but be irretrievably age-damaged. I think you just have to determine what risk you are willing to bear before bidding, and that might be different for each person or each particular scent you’re looking for. I’ve borrowed March’s (Perfume Posse) philosophy about buying on ebay: “My personal eBay philosophy is not to spend an amount of $ that would break my heart if the thing turned out to be total crap.”
Here are a couple of blog posts I found helpful:
http://graindemusc.blogspot.com/2008/07/hunting-for-vintage-perfumes.html
http://ismellthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/05/buying-perfume-on-ebay-things-to-keep.html
http://perfumeposse.com/2008/12/21/christian-dior-poison/
Mals, you’ve taken a goodly amount of time out of your day to help me, and I greatly appreciate it. Thank You!
Oh yikes. I just put up an answer with three separate links in it to blog posts on buying ebay, and I suppose the NST spam filter has nabbed it. (I can see it, but it says the comment is awaiting moderation.)
In any case, ebay is definitely worth it in my experience, IF (IF IF) you can accept a certain amount of risk. Do your homework, do not get caught in bidding wars, only risk what cash you’re willing to lose, and you still won’t ever bat a thousand. Nobody is 100% thrilled with every single fragrance purchase they make on ebay, and if you need provenance and guarantees and certainty, you will not get that. You may, however, find a jewel or two. Or a couple dozen jewels for every fake.
Thank you, Mals!! It’s good to remember to have perspective. I’m certainly willing to take on some risk to get a treasure. 🙂
That’s exactly what happened and I just got back home…sorry, I put it back for you!
No prob. 🙂 My fault anyway – next time I’ll remember not to put multiple links in a comment.
There’s also checkfresh dot com and it seems I remember another name besides that and checkcosmetic dot net, but I can’t find it nor remember it. 🙁
I keep my perfumes in the fridge as my bedroom and bathroom are upstairs and I don’t keep my AC very cold in the summer, and we get pretty hot and humid here in central Ky. So far (@ ten years) they seem to be doing pretty well.
And ebay, funny you should ask as I am taking pictures this weekend to list some perfumes on ebay! I’ve also bought and fingers crossed and knock on wood, haven’t had any problems! In fact, the sellers have been extremely nice and accommodating. But like Mals said, I don’t get in bidding wars (I really prefer Buy Now pricing). The biggest piece of advice that I can give you is to CHECK THE SELLER’S REVIEWS! I never buy from anyone under 96/97% positive reviews, and with anything under 100%, I check the negative review to see if there really was a problem or if it was just a crank buyer.
Good luck!
Right, forgot to mention to check seller reviews.
Thank you, Rappleyea! Having two sites to crossreference the batchcodes sounds like a good idea.
Okay, with two folks warning me against bidding wars, I will take that advice. I don’t really need that kind of excitement, anyway. And I will pay close attention to the sellers reviews as well.
Excellent questions and excellent advice. Thanks to all.
I’ve got nothing helpful for item 1, but for 2 I keep my off-season bottles in our wine fridge (not quite as cold as a regular refrigerator), and for 3 I check the seller’s location and rating, and avoid non-sprayer bottles (too easy to substitute fake juice).
Actually, I was mulling that idea over in my head – we have a wine fridge. I’d have to do some hard bargaining with the hubster to get some space. Or, we’d just need to throw a really big party.
Thanks for the idea, and thanks for mentioning the non-sprayer bottles. Those would probably be more prone to leakage during shipment, too.
I’ve also had good luck on eBay! I always check the seller’s feedback and I also look for sellers who frequently sell perfume (rather than those who seem to sell a little bit of everything). You can also msge the sellers directly and ask where a bottle came from, etc. – I’ve almost always gotten prompt answers.
That’s another good point, to ask questions of the seller.
I will say that I have gotten a few really super deals from people who do not normally sell perfume. (That might be because they didn’t know the value of what they were selling.) But I admit that if my concern was mostly authenticity and freshness, I might be less willing to take the slightly higher risk of buying from someone who did not know much about an item.
Yea, I can tell I’ll need to work it out in my mind how much lettuce I’m willing to risk!
Really good point, nicolasix. I can see how it would be better to buy from those who kinda specialize. That’s a subtle point, but helps evaluate the prospective purchase. Thank you!!
1. Independent of the batch code calculators which may or may not be accurate, you can also consult various pages on Raiders of the Lost Scent (hope this is ok to refer to Robin) which have a treasure trove of info on batch codes and packaging signs to look for for various houses. You can see Chanel’s here http://raidersofthelostscent.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-recognize-chanel-perfumes.html
The big thing w/ batch to remember is many lines reuse the codes every 10 years so you have to use packaging and bottles context clues to verify if something is 2001 or 2011 for example.
If you google batch code, vintage/old/original etc. and whatever fragrance you are trying to find, you can usually find plenty of threads on basenotes or fragrantica where people have weighed in too.
3. I personally love Ebay but you do have to do a fair amount of research in advance and there is inherent risk as Mals rightly points out.
In general I love batch codes and researching/finding vintage perfumes…the thrill of the hunt and all that…if you are looking for something in particular I would be happy to research and help you. If I could do it for a living I would. 😉
Egads, they reuse batch codes?!? A pox on them. Okay, now that I’ve had my little fit…thank you for the Raiders link. That is a treasure trove of information! I clearly have some research to do. I’ve been on fragrantica pretty frequently, but need to dig in further on basenotes.
I’ve fallen in love, sadly, with Theorema, and a couple of versions of Shalimar. I’m not even that picky, really, about the Shalimar – I can just tell that the older juice is so much lovelier than what I smell at Macy’s. 🙂
Beauty Encounter has Theorema last time I looked.
Foxbins, my comment was not complete. I’m sorry. I participated in a split of Theorema, and then purchased a FB at Beauty Encounter. I love the versions I have, but I’ve noticed that some of the caps look different in some of the EBay offerings, so I suspect they may be vintage. Need to research this.
I’ve bought plenty of perfumes on Ebay, and sold plenty on Ebay. I’ve only gotten a few bad bottles. I buy mostly vintage, though also some current things. In general I look for folks who are clearly individuals (just have a few things listed); I typically avoid the giant sellers who have 20000+ stars and seem to have absolutely everything ever made… I’m a bit dubious that they’re all genuine —
just my personal bias. Also a personal bias, I avoid overseas sellers who seem to have every new scent right away at amazing prices… hmm. If it seems too good to be true…
I also figure it’s unlikely that anyone is producing fakes of most small niche brands, so those ought to be safe.
Etsy is another good source, plenty of mom & pop estate sales companies there.
Was wondering about Etsy and the sellers on there.
Have you purchased from those that do decants?
I haven’t… don’t buy a lot of decants. I have purchased quite a few vintage mini’s though, and most of them were in fine condition.
Good point, pixel, I didn’t think about the sellers with massive inventory. That does seem a bit suspect.
Also good insight about niche! Gives me a little incentive to explore those…
And good to know that Etsy is a good option as well. Thank you for your help!!
I have nothing to offer with regard to no. 1, but as for the other 2:
2. I do not store my perfume in the fridge, although some perfumistas do. You might want to get a separate fridge for it to avoid having perfume-scented food. I live in a hot climate, but I keep our house about 76 F in the summer, which should not be warm enough to cause spoilage. If your house gets much above 80, you might want to consider a fridge. I have bottles that are >30 years old, and I don’t think I have ever had a bottle go off on me. I have read comments here from others who have had a bottle spoil; it may be that newer perfumes go bad more easily (perhaps they have few fixatives) than older perfumes.
3. I have bought quite a few bottles from eBay, with mixed results. Generally I only use eBay for vintage, since I can’t get it from the regular fragrance sellers. If the bottle is unused it is probably fine; even better is one that is still boxed and sealed. I have scored several bottles that were still sealed in the outer wrap and they were heavenly. Being still in their original box and wrapper, they obviously were protected from light, have not had any air introduced into the bottle beyond what was in there originally, and have not come in contact with dirt, skin oils, etc. It is still possible for a sealed bottle to be fake (the original buyer may have bought a fake without knowing it), but it is less likely. Some perfumes (such as Chanel no. 5) have been faked more than others.
Most of the disappointments I have had have been partial bottles. A partial is a gamble because you don’t know how the original owner stored and cared for it. It might have been kept in a drawer in a cool house and applied carefully, or it might have been kept in a steamy bathroom under bright lights, or somewhere where the sun could hit it, and applied with less than clean hands. The one or two full bottle disappointments I have had have been quite old, as in 30s to 50s vintage, which is always a gamble. An open bottle is, of course, always subject to tampering. Some less than enlightened individuals will try refilling an empty bottle with a different perfume, which seldom turns out well, or try to redilute an evaporated scent with rubbing alcohol or some such.
One possible source of good condition vintage scent, if you like vintage, is vintage bath oil. I have bought a number of vintage bath oils, and have never been disappointed. They tend to go for low prices, too, as bath oils are not much in vogue these days, and nobody seems to realize that bath oil can be worn as perfume as well. Even the partials have been good, perhaps because bath oil is usually poured into the bath, and not touched with the fingers.
Like 50 Roses, I live in a hot climate (so hot that I was in the pool today) and I do not keep my perfumes in a fridge. Partly that’s because after many years down this rabbit hole, there are too many for a small fridge and I’d have to admit to having a problem if I had to buy a regular size fridge! And partly it’s because I keep them in cabinet where they are not exposed to sunlight or temperatures higher than 78. Never had a problem.
Ebay? Well, as everyone said above, check reviews, don’t get in bidding wars, if it’s too good to be true it probably is, contact the seller with questions, and realize there is always going to be an element of risk involved. I make it a rule not to buy Chanel (or “Chanel”) on Ebay as there are so many counterfeiters. I’ve only had one bad experience and it goes under the heading of assume there will be risk. When I opened the bottle, it had turned. Not the seller’s fault – it was in a sealed box; sometimes these things just happen. But that’s one out of maybe 20 purchases. Not a bad percentage.
Ha! Totally understand that having a problem part!
There is a lot of excellent information here, although I would also note that some of my best bargains have been partial bottles. There is some risk, but they are usually much cheaper. I look at what else the seller has on offer and for any other clues that it might or might not be a relatively safe bet.
Many thanks Noz, especially for pointing out the resources section, with which I’ve spent most of my evening.
50_Roses, thanks for taking the time to help me. Your tip about bath oil, especially, is a gem!
Nancy, in addition to the solid information in the comments here, NST also has some useful references on this under the Resources tab.
Another cold weekend here. I decided NVC Ashoka will be suitable for today.
I remember that in my school years we used to go to the local forest on Earth Day to tidy up this green area a bit.
I also feel like I need to do some spring cleaning in my perfume wardrobe. I’m thinking about a blog sale… good idea?
I’ve been planning that for roughly 18 months. I have yet to actually DO it.
Good idea!
On the beach right now, wearing Vetiver Blanc by Sultan Pasha Attars.
Tuberose, vetiver, ambergris. Its fabulous! One of my favourite discoveries this year.
There are several of his that I loved when I got a sample pack. Amazing longevity and power from just a tiny drop! Enjoy the beach =)
The walk on the beach was great. There was a cold and rough wind coming from the north, the waves were high and the sun was shining. Perfect!
Fun fact: just read on Claire V’s blog (takeonethingoff) the ambergris in Vetiver Blanc (this attar contains a whopping 35% of white ambergris) was obtained on the coast of Ireland.
Hmm I wonder if that stuff is also reaches our coast..if thats the case, next time I’ll bring a bucket hahaha 🙂
…and which ones do you love?
Well, my wallet thanks you, and hopefully, my nose will soon do the same, lol! I had to search for info about Sultan Pasha Attars which led me to many raves here on NST and other forums and blogs and I spent ages reading Kafkaesque’s articles about his scents. That led me to registering at eBay and making my first purchase ever there, his 25 samples set. I’m really looking forward to this! I hope I don’t fall in love with a lot of them, but do hope I find one that really sings to me!
Your chances of finding one you love are high! He has almost every genre covered and does them better than most brands out there. I fell hard for more than one…
Hmm I am starting to sound like a fan girl, to be clear, no affiliation at all.
Have fun discovering your sample vials!
Oh and (Maybe you already know this) there is a closed group on Facebook called Sultan Pasha Attars.
Thank you! I am not crazy about Facebook but will maybe join his group.
I am not a big Facebook fan either, but its a nice group.
Sultan Pasha is there as well, so if you have a question / want to get in touch with him, that’s the place to be!
Jonette! Where have you been? Glad you’re back!
Thank you! My health took a nosedive, then I finally tried coming back to the forum this year and then got another big health setback and have been in a revolving door of specialists. Fooey!
I guess I have to resign myself to this yo-yo lifestyle. When I’m able, I’ll join in the forum (I’ve really missed participating, although I try to read at least one blog post a week.) If I disappear for awhile, it means a health flare and I’ll have to ride it out. I am, in general, much more resilient than I was several years ago. Chronic illness sucks! At least, I haven’t gone anosmic again! That happened for about six months or longer when I was on Prednisone. Ugh!
I hope you got the thank you I sent you for the boozy perfume advice.
So good to see you!
Wow, that was from over a year ago. I hope you were able to find some boozy ones!
Yes, it’s wonderful to see you, Jonette! I always appreciate your comments.
hajusuuri , I haven’t pursued the boozy scents yet. (Something to look forward to, hahaha.) My ex,, aka “:the walking wallet” to his family (lol), treated me to a perfume buying spree last year to celebrate some good news after hefty hospital tests. I went a little bit crazy — could have been even crazier — and bought the largest size bottles from some Chanel exclusifs and other fragrances. What was I thinking? I already have more perfume than several women could use up in a lifetime! And since then, I have bought some more and also received a gabillion samples from Steven at Place Vendôme. And still I yearn for more! But boozy scents always get my attention. I’m still very fond of Lancaster’s Sole di Capri and have a reserve bottle. It’s inexpensive but very nice (and boozy.) Price (within one’s means) and brands and hype don’t mean much. It’s all about one’s nose and what it likes! It’s the same with fashion for me. This past week, I went out for lunch wearing a € 4,50 top from C&A with a € 650,– cardigan from Oleana and they both are equally loved!
Aparatchick and Nozknoz, thank you both for the warm welcome back. It’s getting dusty in here…
Happy Weekend! SOTD is SJP Stash perfume oil from a teenieweenie roller bottle that came with the EDP. Last time I used the EDP, I sneezed for about 10 hours straight, so I thought I’d try the oil version today and I like it much better.
Still have the lingering cold and scent of lemon honey cough drops. Last night I went on a coughing jag and ended up somehow pulling a muscle or impinging a nerves in my neck, so today I’m walking around with a bit of a head tilt. I think it makes me look like I’m pondering the secrets of the universe! 😉
Have a superb Earth Day and give Mother Nature some love today by picking up random trash, planting a tree, or being active in your garden. I still have a lot of my LP’s, never could part with them, and as mentioned above, spent hours pouring over the covers and listening to music in my bedroom when I was a teen. Good times!
I like the oil version better, too! Plus it lasts forever.
Happy Earth Day, one and all!
I was going to go to the Science March today, but I’m not feeling quite up to it. I used up a lot of energy on an Earth Day sunset hike last night. Still no SOTD, because I still can’t smell anything. Meh.
“Meh” describes how I feel as well. I bet that sunset hike was awesome!
Happy Earth Day, my favorite place on Earth is NYC
SOTD Iris Poudre
You smell SO great.
Hey! That’s my favorite place on earth too! 😉
To quote my yoga teacher “Every day should be earth day”.
Came back from a very challenging balancing class with the focus on the root chakra (grounding to represent the earth)….wore a tad of my own blend of orange essence, tuberose and vanilla e.o.s…after class am wearing Fresh Grapefruit Hespiride (yeah, I know I am misspelling that one!) which is really quite lovely.
happy Earth Day and happy Saturday to all!
YES to your yoga teacher!
Ooh, I do like that Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit. Wonder if I have any left in my little bottle.
Earth Day always makes me think of my 9th grade Earth Science teacher, Thelma Haynesworth. (Or, as she said it, “Earf Science” and “Felma Haynesworf.”) She was such a great communicator of information, and always so elegant! Skirt suits and alligator heels every. single. day, with her pearls and her hair done Just So… and then she’d get excited about a question somebody asked and forget she had chalk on her fingers, and rumple up her hair with her chalky hands.
SOTD is Cuir de Lancome. Went to a fundraiser breakfast for the local 4H Livestock Club; nobody could smell me over the pancakes and bacon but I wasn’t sorry.
Thelma sounds straight out of a novel! I LOVE your written descriptions, C.
That’s exactly what I was thinking! And she’d be from East end London.
Mwah!
I had a math prof in college who had unfortunate acne scarring and used to do the same thing – get excited about his topic and run chalky hands all over his face. By the end of class he’d have white polkadots all over. I loved him for that.
That enthusiasm is catching, isn’t it?
Such a beautiful mini-tribute to a great teacher – thank you for sharing: it made me smile.
Remembering her today made me smile, and I was glad to share.
I love that description so much. I could actually picture her. Thanks for sharing.
Earth Day feels like the perfect excuse for the tart tomato vines of CB I Hate Perfume Memory of Kindness! Very grumpy to have to work through the March for Science, but amazed to hear so many people are participating despite all the rain! Ooh, Apres l’Ondee could be a good choice, too…
I think you’re doing your part to improve the environment, one person at a time, Ari! 🙂
Voleur de Roses seemed appropriate to me for this gloomy, stormy Earth Day so VdR it is!
Send love and healing to our Mother. Whatever our divisions – be they political, gender, racial, religious, etc., etc., – she’s the only one we’ve got!
So true!
Blergh… Woke up with a terrible headache… Want perfume but daren’t until my Maxalt kicks in. I’m planning on marking Earth Day by working in the garden… Once this headache/nausea passes.
Feel better…Maxalt and I are old friends.
Ahhhhh… starting to kick in… this might be a day for California Reverie (now that the fork tines have retreated from my ears and eyes).
I hope your headache is gone by now. Feel better!
Hope you’re feeling better.
SOTM is SSS Forest Walk – very calming and soothing on a chilly, rainy morning. My garden is exploding with blossoms and I want to get out there and enjoy it, maybe pull some weeds and get a few more pots out of the shed, but in this rain? Not happening.
Where are you?? I wish I was there. Baseball game at 2 and ithe is going to be 90.
The Pacific Northwest – Oregon more specifically. Spring in Oregon is unpredictably variable. We get everything from brilliant sunshine to thunderstorms, often in the same afternoon. 🙂
You smell divine…one of my favorite SSS!
I just noticed that the mimosas (AKA silk trees) are blooming here in East Texas. I love the scent and the fuzzy-Looking pink flowers. Happy Earth Day everyone. By the way, I am trying Jicky edt for the first time. I thought the vanilla might bother me. It hasn’t so far.
So, Jicky love or hate?
My sister and I put on our mini dresses and olafdaughters clogs and headed over to Union Sq. for the first earth day gathering. It was a different Union Sq then, and I think there were only a few thousand? People hanging out. Music, yep.
Life goes zooming by.
Favorite place on earth, toss up between Luang Prabang with its smoky scented air and the Mekong to sit near.. or Santorini, where I had never seen such an otherworldly, dazzling light on the Caldera, it made me weep.
SOTD for a very hot SoCal day, some Assam Tea with the elephants!
Had to look up Luang Prabang. Had fun scrolling through “images” on Google. Thanks for the armchair travel!
Oakland Fresca, it’s why I love Indochine so much and keep a bottle in reserve.
Hope the headache improves.
Assam of India….so refreshing 🙂
Wearing the wake-up body oil again (I’m definitely going to make this again, with other samples). Might spend some of Earth Day gardening on the roof if it doesn’t start to rain.
I’m wearing Laine de Verre today which I think I received from a generous swapper at a meet-up.
At first sniff it it was the 7-up Bonne Bell Lipsmacker of youth! Now it clean laundry w/ citrus and musk.
Hope you are feeling better.
Ah, I was a Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker girl, myself. 🙂
That one is great too! 😉 Imparts a bit of color I think as well.
Hello to everyone on this lovely, sunny morning! It’s day three of the apartment hunt (we think we’ve narrowed it down to two options, but the boyfriend and I are each gunning for the opposite option) and day ~50 of my boyfriend unhappily stating, “I see you’re wearing perfume today.” Indeed I am, damn it, and it’s beautiful, and it’s SSS Rose Musc, and I don’t know how this five-year relationship is going to survive his distaste of scents.
BUT Happy Earth Day! Go go science.
Hmm, red flag about the dislike of perfume. Maybe time for a serious chat.
I know, right? I wish I had known about this when our relationship started. Too bad I didn’t fall down the rabbit hole until about 3.5 years in.
I sprayed on my Shalimar the other day and mine said, “Ya know, that kinda stinks at first.” I said, “Yeah it does, but I love that stink.” Ha!
That is adorable 🙂
Happy Earth Day, everyone. I’m wearing my much-loved Designer Shaik Chic 30 and everyone compliments me on how lovely I smell!
I replied to someone on my mystery writers forum about perfume and several of the members wrote to me with questions, most of which I was able to answer. But I have two that I need to present here and hope someone can give me something to tell them. (These are not in any way perfumistas, although I’d like to think I’ve sparked interest!)
1. A woman fondly remembers a bottle of Bal a Versailles that an admirer gave her in the mid-70s. I know it’s discontinued, but google showed me that the (last?) reformulation edt is still available from Amazon and some other venues. She doesn’t know what strength she had, just that it was super-sexy. She’d most like to be able to sample before buying. (I directed her to some decant sites and mentioned eBay and Etsy.) She lives in Connecticut. Any further suggestions?
2. In my long post to the forum, I gave lots of info and ended by offering addresses for perfume-buying/samples for anyone in on this side of the pond (I think we have less than three people outside the US. I’m in the Netherlands.)
Of course, I can share the ones I use in the Netherlands, Belgium (thanks, Hamamelis), Germany, the UK and Poland. A member wrote me that she visits family in Greece, traveling via England. Well, I’ve got good UK addresses, but can anyone name a resource in Greece? (Of course, if she’s going to stay any length of time in the UK it’s easy, or she can order from First in Fragrance.) I assume she’s hoping to discover lovely scents that she hasn’t encountered in the US, but vintage resources are always welcome (to me, as well.)Thanks in advance!
One member wrote to me that she would like that info.
Good to hear from you, Jonette!
Thank you, kindcrow! I really love this community of perfumistas. I have learned so very much from NST and come a long way with my knowledge and collection since originally joining at least 10 years ago (when I got ill in 2009, I signed out for a long time and then rejoined.)
I’m missing seeing some names of especially good NST friends and hope they will pop in to touch base with me. I’ve lost private email/snail mail addresses.
Hi Jonette! I’m so glad to hear you’re okay, albeit it for the time being.
Regarding Bal a Versailles, the current version is readily available here in the US at many common drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, Rite-Aid ) and low-end department stores such as Kohls, Wal-Mart and Target. The problem with many of these is the absence of testers, but that varies by location. Perfume discounters like FragranceNet also offer it. I personally would recommend getting decants from Surrender to Chance and/or The Perfumed Court as they both offer a variety which includes the various formulations and the current as well as vintage. Once the woman you mentioned has discovered which version she likes, if it’s vintage she can buy a larger decant or seek a bottle on eBay or Etsy, or purchase the current version at any of the aforementioned.
Thank you so much for this info, Holly, and for your get/stay well wishes. I will share this with the person looking for Bal a Versailles.
It’s the first time I see anybody mentioning Chic Shaik 30! It’s one of my favorites, and I enjoy wearing it a lot.
For your question #2: it looks like an online store in Greece, though they ship free in Europe: https://www.rosinaperfumery.com
Thank you so much, Undina. I’ll pass on the info about the Greek shop.
This is also the first time I’ve ever seen another fan here for Chic Shaik 30! I also love the other one (33?) and have planned for years to get a full bottle. I had a Travelo full but used it up a few years ago.
I just had a quick peek at your blog and will be back, as it looks like we may have a lot in common! Nice “meeting” you.
Nice to “meet” you too, Jonette 🙂
I haven’t had a chance to try any other of Shaik’s perfumes but I’m curious about them, so I will, if I get a chance.
Re Bal a Versailles, I’d suggest your friend at least browse through bottles on ebay, etsy, and bonanza. She may be able to identify the exact bottle that she had (not the same one, of course, but the same concentration and vintage). It’s creeping up in price, but you still see bargains sometimes.
Also I agree with the idea of seeking samples or decants from Surrender to Chance, Perfumed Court, or ebay. That might be enough, too.
PS to my post: Of course, I gave them all the url for NST!
You win this week’s Enablers’ Parure, Jonette. 🙂
A sunny day in the Midlands and tolerably warm. I went to the garden centre and got a bunch of flowers to plant up some containers. Also some herbs as our raised herb bed was reduced to Salad Burnet and a complete invasion of Woodruff. It was good to be working outdoors. Also it is 2 years since I felt the energy and motivation to do this sort of stuff, so I like that I feel relaxed enough to do it.
SOTD was Paul Emilien “Une Belle Journee”.
Top: bergamot, Turkish rose, mint, iris and mandarin;
Mid: violet leaf, pink pepper, peony, rose, immortelle, geranium and jasmine;
Base: jasmine, leather and oakmoss.
This is one of my favourites, a perfume that pulls off the incredible trick of being extraordinarily pretty but not feminine. And just right for a sunny day. :^)
That sounds like a wonderful perfume!
Oo, I’m going to have to give that one a sniff!
Had a good sleep in this morning which I really needed. Unfortunately I’ll be working this afternoon and tomorrow, just too much work to get through. Glad it’s raining, actually, as I don’t feel so bad being stuck in doors.
I’m wearing Philosykos today which is appropriate for Earth Day with it’s lovely greenness.
Twins! Although my Philosykos is mixed with the the scent of spray sunscreen.
Sleepy Sunday. Perfume for lolling lazily in bed: remnants of last night’s spray of Queen. Yum. Plans for the day: feedback on a chapter of a student’s thesis (I’m getting through them; go me! Anyone would think I’m retiring soon….) and a trip to Chanel to buy a dark purple lipstick. I’ve made it sound rather Goth, but actually, it comes out as sort of dark rose; quite pretty on, but terrifying in the bullet. Perfume plans: La Pausa. Yes, again. I love this stuff, especially if I anchor it with a little spray of Bel Respiro. Oh, double yum. The very thought’s enough to get me out of bed and moving toward the shower.
Enjoy your weekends, everyone.
Your Chanel lipstick sounds lovely!
I have a thing for purple lipstick – what is the name or number of the colour you bought? Sounds lovely!
It’s really quite pretty on, and definitely belies its bullet colour. It really is nearly black to look at. It’s called Erik, 456, in the Rouge Coco line. I’m already enjoying it.
Happy Earth Day! I went to our local branch of the March for Science and was thrilled to see so many people, especially kids. I wore Philosykos and as usual, swooned with quiet delight when I put it on. It’s just so lovely.
I tried to think of a favorite place on Earth, but it was impossible, so I’ve concluded that my favorite place is Earth. One of my students blew my mind yesterday when she said her dream is to one day celebrate Mars Day.
Thank you for reporting on the March for Science. And I love what you say about our gorgeous Earth.
It’s cool to be part of something positive taking place all over the world, and yay for Mars Day!
Happy Earth Day! I love this tiny blue marble. And I ❤️ science.
My SOTD is the spring- and Earth Day-appropriate Bergamot, Jasmine & Labdanum from Dame Perfumery.
I’m in a house-preparation frenzy for friends coming to visit.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Nice on your SOTD…..there is a large bottle of that one floating around the house and while it doesn’t belong to me I am allowed to always steal a few sprays from time to time.
Enjoy your friends’ visit.
Wearing Divine l’Infante. An olfactive orange blossom crown, perfect for Earth Day.
Despite it bein an OB scent, I always see the colour green when I think of L’Infante.
Wearing Lush Orange Blossom. Orange blossom in nature is one of it’s finest gifts to us.
My favorite place on earth? That’s tough. Glacier Bay (truly awe-inspiring), the Oregon coast, Kruger National Park.
I second your thoughts about orange blossom, and the Lush one is great. They were fools to discontinue it!
Totally agree. Lush made a really nice OB.
My husband and I went to the local March for Science today. We are such nerds that, even without our binoculars, we still birded the park where the marchers were gathering. NNB (never not birding), as they say 🙂
I wore two i Profumi di Firenze perfumes: one spritz of Violetta di Bosco on my torso and one spritz of Vaniglia del Madagascar on my legs.
I wanted to add that, that there were thousands of people at our local March for Science (we’re in Northern California) but it was the quietest and most polite match we’ve ever attended 🙂
My mom has been a total birder my whole life, which has turned me into a bit of one. I always have my bird book handy for the outdoor bird activity lol. And plus I have a pet bird. 🙂 Sounds like you had a lovely day!
🙂
Spent two hours freezing in line to vote, wish I had dressed warmer but satisfied about doing my civic duty. Wearing Mugler Oriental Express.
Thanks for doing your civic duty!!
And for smelling fantastic while doing it 🙂
Happy Earth Day! I’m wearing Atelier Grand Néroli.
In related news, I belatedly cleared the late-winter rotation off my dresser top and set out the early spring rotation: Grand Néroli, JM Basil & Neroli, Hermès Eau Claire des Merveilles, and L’Artisan Drôle de Rose, Mimosa pour Moi and La Chasse aux Papillon Extrême. (L’Artisan, I don’t like your new packaging, but thanks for making the stuff in the old packaging available at clearance prices!)
Love your spring line up!
Happy Earth Day!
Question #1: Has anyone ever used the Supergoop! 45 SPF Setting Powder? Thoughts? How about other Supergoop! products?
Question #2: Did anyone try the Starbucks Unicorn Frappucino? I will admit to using my Star Rewards for a freebie as I was really curious about it. It was a sugar bomb for sure and were it not for all the sweet, I would have had another one this weekend. Please don’t judge me 🙂
I finally signed up for Sniffapalooza Saturday. I have to go into the office anyway to purge files and so will spend a good chunk of the morning doing that and then will head on to Bergdorf for a little bit of retail therapy (i.e. if I don’t spend it all at Twisted Lily on Friday night) and then on to the lunch venue where Chandler Burr is one of the featured speakers and he will be talking about his collaboration with ELDO You or Someone Like You. Maybe I’m more excited to smell Demeter Kitten Fur!
I wore Moonlight Patchouli today, with enabler pin going to our very own Lucas. I only wore one spritz as this Saturday is a normal Mom day and she is a scent phobe. The little bit that I wore is still chugging along, 10 hours later! It is less soapy on wearing (vs. on paper strip). With this little bit, I smell mostly rose, citrus/aromatics and clean patchouli.
I was as the mall this evening and stocked up on Kneipp products as everything was 20% off. I even won a raffle of a full size shower gel in Eucalyptus Mint!
I happened to pass by L’Occitane; the new Terre de Lumiere was front and center. I reached for a test strip and recoiled at its texture; it felt waxy. When I sprayed perfume on it, the card unveiled a yellow sunburst. The perfume reminds me of Mon Guerlain, with TdL a slight bit better, which is not saying much. Next.
Even though I have a 50 mL bottle of Chanel No. 5 L’Eau. I had been obsessively thinking about the 35 mL bottle, because cute. I ended up buying the last one (on the shelves) with my 15% off Sephora coupon.
Have a great weekend everyone!
1. I have only used a Supergoop! CC cream but I admit I loved it. Yay Sephora. 🙂
2) I could not bring myself to drink one of those Unicorn Fraps because of all of the sugar but it did look so lovely and my co-worker loved hers!
Congrats on the L’Eau. I love that one!
Ooh, I actually did not see the Suoergoop! section in store, just whatever items were displayed at the checkout line — so smart of Sephora to do that.mmI will check out that CC cream!
I tried the Unicorn Frappuccino because I love rainbows, so no judgment from me 🙂 I loved the presentation, but both my husband and I disliked the taste of the beverage. We prefer their Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino, that my husband calls “those good pink things.”
LOL at “good pink things”…but he can probably describe birds down to their most unique features!
Yup! 🙂
I just HAD to look up that Unicorn frappuccino!
I’m all confused,
A part of me think it LOOKS cute, another part of me cried well…nevermind, I think we all know why 😉
A 35 ml Chanel is a great purchase!
I like small bottles, they have that cute factor while containing the full functionality: decent cap and sprayer (mini’s are also cute, but not that practical in use).
The 35 mL is really cute! And yes, a pox on splash minis. I have high hopes that with the Sephorafication of Jo Malone, they will start selling the 9 mL atomizer minis individually at $25 a pop … more expensive per mL than the larger size but there’s packaging to consider.
The wild colours and expected sugariness put me off so I didn’t try the unicorn. Thumbs up on the 35ml Chanel No. 5 L’Eau, love cute little bottles. 🙂 I used my 15% off coupon to buy myself a full size of the Givenchy lipstick mini you sent me last year, thanks!
I was concerned that the colors would turn my lips and tongue purple (did not) and I initially considered bringing it back to the office in a paper bag 🙂
On the lipstick, I’m glad the promotions from department stores worked! I think that one came from the Barneys Beauty Bag.
Congratulations on getting a cute bottle: it’s an add-on bonus to getting perfume you like.
That drink… For me it doesn’t look like food so I probably won’t even consider trying it. But looks aside, in general, I prefer eating my sweets to drinking them.
I’m envious about you going to Sniffa: I’d love to go there one day but I have to plan my next NY visit around it because otherwise it makes absolutely no economical sense to come just for the event: even if I were to stay with my family (which I’d rather not), plain tickets would cover easily a year of sampling 😉 But I would still love to meet some people.
Maybe if you plan for October…just sayin’ (oh please please please, do it)
I’ve had a pretty wonderful Saturday so far. My partner and I went out for breakfast at a newish place around the corner where I ate bread pudding french toast. I wore Vol de Nuit parfum and a dab of vintage Joy parfum on a different part of my arm. I received both of these samples in a recent swap with the generous AnnE. We then walked downtown so I could go bra shopping. Thanks to the encouragement of a couple of you last weekend I did get fitted and found out I’ve been buying the wrong size. That wasn’t shocking. I walked away with 4 new bras that I’m excited about! Afterwards, I met back up with my guy since he went off while I bra shopped, and we had a beer and late lunch at a favorite neighborhood spot. On the walk home suddenly the rainy grey skies gave way to sun, clouds, and blue sky. I can now still smell Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyante shower gel on me. Haven’t decided on my SOTN yet!
Good for you! That’s a successful day, and impressive longevity from a shower gel, too.
Hehe my storytelling was unclear. I showered after we returned home for the day, so I was only 1.5-2 hours removed from the shower. But it still is impressive longevity!
I ended up trying Cierge de Lune from a sample last night, and I love it.
I rather like Cierge de Lune, and I love that amber version of the AdV bottle!
Sounds like a wonderful day!
Sounds like a perfect day!
I have that shower gel but now I’m using the other one from the collection – Myrrh Ardente, which is also both lively and tenacious.
I have Myrrh Ardente too! I’m saving that one for late spring/early summer because of the piney incense of Encens. I figure that is appropriate right now and not so much when it gets warmer. I also used Musc Nomade this winter and really liked it.
I think I’m going to next use up my beloved Lush Flying Fox shower gel. I am of two minds on using discontinued loves – I should either just go for it and get the enjoyment out of it, or hoard it until I can convince myself to buy another undoubtedly pricey bottle on ebay. The latter has been my previous way, but I’m coming around to the former.
I went to the Science March for Earth Day 2017 in DC for the part of the rally. It was cool with light rain, but scientists are accustomed to meeting challenges and persevering, and are often outdoors people, so it didn’t seem to dampen spirits. It didn’t hurt that there was live music by Jon Baptiste and stay human, and they were terrific. Came home and watched the whole thing on YouTube.
Testing Grandiflora Queen of the Night, a lovely floral. It’s not a cool white floral but rather somewhat on the warm side, like gardenias, or like Duchaufour’s Nuit de Tubereuse. Definitely worth a try if you are looking for a floral perfume.
I also tried Satori Iris Homme, but it’s very light and I’m finding it difficult to smell. I only have a dauber vial, so I’m finding it hard to form an opinion.
Grandiflora sounds like an interesting brand, too bad its not available in the Netherlands. Oh well, there are already soooo many brands to choose from. And new ones popping up everywhere. So not complaining,
Really… (okay just a little bit. Because I read good reviews about their jasmine, and I love jasmine)
Iris Homme is pretty sheer, i had a dabber as well, poured 1/3 of the 1 ml vial over my wrist. Longevity was not great either (4 hours).
I really loved it though, and I wonder if spraying makes a difference. So I am going to move the rest into a sprayer or order a spray sample.
I can see I’m going to have to go full Mandom with it. 😉
Full Mandom!! Love it.
OMG, there’s another version, or maybe a fan tribute… 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Vjktlj4oI
Hahhaha
Thanks for the video link, hilarious. 😀
Been a lazy Saturday here. Started with some yard work and a little sunshine (yay vitamin D) then turned out quite stormy (yay reason to stay inside and read). Did force myself to go to the grocery store, which I am loathe to do, but it had to happen so I went. I bought myself an essential oil organizer/carrying case thing which I think will be great to store and halfway organize my samples and decants. I’m in Noir de Noir today for no reason at all other than I just love it.
My love is going to be gone for the week starting tomorrow. Even after years, I do miss him terribly when he is gone but I will be able to spend some quiet time catching up on some reading and some chick shows or movies that he is usually isn’t into. 🙂
Hugs to all!
Oh and my favorite place in Earth is a hard one. I’m a total beach person, so anywhere on a beach and I’m as content as can be. After spending 10 days driving around Ireland last year though, I fell in love with it- the beautiful countryside, charming cities and towns, and the best, warmest people ever! ????
Hey Kelly, I ordered a few Tauer samples, and tried Lonesome Rider today. It is awesome – citrusy, leather and just…wow. This one is going on the short list. Thanks for commenting on it! I hope you have a good weekend!
Isn’t it just great?! It never disappoints when I wear it! Glad you enjoyed it!
Today I’m wearing Ramon Monegal’s Dubai Next to Me because it’s what I’m in the mood for! It’s a mostly stay at home, grey drizzly day and chilly. I had to have this, after reading a blog post from Lucas three years ago. A close friend in the Middle East knew I wanted it and sent it as a gift!
All I can say is, “Mmmmmmmmm!”
I still don’t know when it is considered the best season to wear pungent, spicy scents. Do they “come into their own” more in hot weather or cold? I like to wear spices in the winter because I find them comforting, but I like them in the summer, too, because then they seem sexy. What say you all? Seeing that this one is made for the Middle Eastern market, I assume it is meant to be worn more in hot weather. ?
I tried a few spicy scents in summer last year.
They smelled good. That’s all I needed to know. 🙂
It depends on the specific perfume, I think. The only way to find out is to try. That said, I can’t think of any spicy perfumes I really like in summer, but I don’t have that many.
Hello NST’ers. It’s the French elections today and to be honest I’m feeling very nervous. I can’t vote as I’m not French but am hoping that people get out and vote today as so many are undecided on preferred candidate or are refusing to vote. Quite a few in my extended French family aren’t voting (mostly younger) and it shocks me that they won’t take advantage of their right to vote. Anyhow onto perfume … I’ve worn Naja by Vero Profumo for the past few days as am in love with it. Naja is tobacco centred but not really heavy, deep and dark as there are florals and a fruity aspect that lighten it and I think it’s one of her best. If you already like her style, you’ll definitely love this one too I imagine. Have a great rest of the weekend.
When TOMK and I toured the South/ South West of France last year I was struck by how down-at-heel and depressed many of the towns were. There is nothing to do and little to aspire to, and if I were a young person there I would question the value of my vote, at least as a way of affecting my locality. From a perfume angle (he said, determinedly swerving away from the political) it is interesting how even modern French perfumes evoke timeless local traditions, if they evoke any locality at all. The current reality would not inspire a pretty scentscape – I suppose only ELdO would try anything like “La Mort du Province” or “Ennui des Banlieues”. :^)
ELDO could definitely do this. I’m surprised they haven’t already!
Hi Megan, I’ve just spent a good length of time visiting your site and found it enjoyable and informative (especially about the candidates.)
I think many of those eligible to vote in elections in the US, UK and Netherlands have also recently/currently chosen not to vote. We live in strange times.
Thank you for taking a look. I tried to not be too preferential to my preferred candidate but I couldn’t resist at the end. I’m hanging out until 8pm for the first results to start coming through. Apparently voter turn out has been good this year though and on twitter I saw huge queues of expats in cities like London and Montreal.
I am happy to report there has been a huge turnout here in Quebec. I stood in line for 2 hours to vote and the line was 2-3 hours long all day. Most of the French people here in Quebec are young people who have come here to work. I hope the turnout in France is good as well.
I hear the turnout has been good this year in France. This bodes well for my preferences (I hope).
Good luck, Megan! And thanks for highlighting Naja. It’s obvious to me that Vero Profumo is an amazing line, but I haven’t found the one that really works for me yet. Will definitely try this one.
Hi nozkoz. She does have a ‘signature’ that you’re either drawn to or you aren’t but this one is definitely worth trying. I know one of my perfume friends can’t find one he likes though including Naja.
Yay lazy sunday!
Sample time:
– Dilettante by Hiram Green on my left hand
– Trayee by NVC on my right hand
Both are lovely, but I think it’s not a very smart idea of me to test them at the same time 😳 hahaha
Trayee seems almost sour and cool next to the warm orange blossom sweetness of Dilettante.
Trayee is a bit foodie to my nose, like a spicy custard. I love the smell of good food, but I dont know if I want to smell like food myself.
I get a bit of a tea vibe from Dilettante. Is this because lots of teas contain orange blossom or orange peel?
Hmm funny how these associations work…
Still feeling chilled from my long stint outside yesterday, wearing Spiritueuse Double Vanille to warm up.
House and line sisters! I’m in Angelique Noir today…pancakes and syrup and I could have sworn Tonka beans but it’s not listed in the notes!
Hi everyone, I have a question for those of you familiar with Jo Malone. I have not smelled anything from this line, but have lately been interested in the Mimosa and Cardamon. Wondering if anyone wants to share their thoughts on it? Also a PSA, Zulilly has a lot of Hermes, and some Tom Fords listed today (no affiliation)
Disclaimer: I am a Jo Malone fan 🙂
Mimosa & Cardamom was, in my opinion, one of the “hits” for this brand among their many “just Ok” and some “Meh” perfumes of recent years. If you were to try just one perfume from the brand, this one could safely be it. But if you plan on testing more, I’d recommend French Lime Blossom (if you like linden), Pomegranate Noir, Blackberry & Bay and Dark Amber & Ginger Lily.
Thanks for the list! And weighing in on the M&C.
There’s a review and some comments from NST members here:
https://nstperfume.com/2015/09/24/jo-malone-mimosa-cardamom-fragrance-review/
Oh Thank You!
I’m testing current Annick Goutal Vetiver this morning. It’s weird how it smells both like and not like my older bottle (the gold box version). So far, it’s slightly drier and less soft, more spring than fall. It comes in a 200-ml vat now. There are a lot of discounted bottles online; maybe the first of the then new packaging??
Best of all, I’m noticing that Beauty Encounter (no affiliation) has discounted 0.3-oz minis, which would be an efficient way to test this or travel with it. 🙂
This is one of my fears: to get close to finishing a favorite perfume and discover that the next bottle smells different 🙁 Probably even worse: I’m afraid it might be already too late to stock up on some of them. I need to get to try the current AG Heure Exquise to see what they’ve done to it after the most recent re-packaging.
Too true, and all the more reason to collect lots of perfume and never worry about finishing anything. 😉
Seriously, if they did the reformulation as well for AG as they did for Vetiver, and their previous reformulations, it may be worth having. I have both 1990s and circa 2010 Heure Exquise, and I enjoy both versions, even though there are differences.
Spurred on by Angela’s post and others’ comments on using up stuff, I went for it this morning: dumped the last of my sample of Xerjoff’s Irisss on my wrists, and no regrets!
(Well, maybe one tiny regret: I’m in the office by myself this afternoon so no one else is around to appreciate how good I smell…)
You smell great! 🙂
Thank you!!!! I feel better now. 😀
I read all the comments about buying on ebay with interest, and thank all of you who commented for teaching me a lot of useful stuff. I have been trying to locate some place in Canada where I could buy a bottle of Shaal Nuur, but ebay seems to be the only alternative. It’s not available from Luckyscent, Twisted Lily or all the usual outlets in the US who ship to Canada, either. Most of the sellers on eBay seem to be based in Australia. One of the highest rated is the beauty club_us, and yes it is based in Australia, not US. Has anyone heard of them or know anything about them that could persuade or dissuade me from buying from them?)
I haven’t bought from Australia so far but only because the shipping costs (to the US, in my case) seem especially high, which is not surprising given the distances, I guess.
It’s always worth taking note of the shipping costs before you buy, whatever the source. There can be a lot of variation in this element. Note that ebay has a useful function that allows you to reorder search results by cost plus shipping.
That was one thing that surprised me, actually. The shipping is only $2.75 while it is usually around $20.00 US from places in the States like Luckyscent.
Cold rainy Sunday here, and that’s fine with me. Spending the day being very lazy and taxing myself with a single load of laundry. Took a four hour (!) nap yesterday and then slept like a baby last night. Celebrating the rest and relaxation by wearing SJP Stash perfume oil again, and very inclined to burrow under the covers with a good book and while away the day, but have made plans for dinner out with a fellow traveler. I had sweet potato pancakes for the first time and it was instant love.
Sundays should last forever =)
Sweet potato pancakes, YUM!
Hello from Miserable Monday…no, let me start again. Hi, all! It’s a marvellous Monday. Was that convincing? No, I didn’t think so. Oh well, I’d just better get on with STUFF anyway. The students are still on study leave, so with any luck, my day will be reasonably quiet, which I promise, is not something I usually wish for. I’m wearing Maharani today, a gorgeous melange of warmth and some sort of spicy flowers which could easily be carnations or clove pinks.
Following Angela’s wise post from last week, I’ve also decided to start a new perfume regime, which will work like this: Day 1: any perfume that suits the day that is loved and adored. Day 2: a perfume quite liked, but seldom selected (Myrrhe Ardente, you’ll get a turn shortly). Day 3: a classic it behoves me to appreciate and understand more. Day 4: the little loved–analysis day. Day 5–NST project day. Weekends at home: free choice. Weekend dates: the Best Beloveds. New purchases permitted, but only to add to the BB category. I wonder if I can last a month? It sounds quite, ummm, structured for me.
Ah, but I like this structure as it makes choosing that much easier…might adopt something similar myself!
That’s one thing that surprised me, actually. The shipping is only $2.75, while it is usually around $20.00 U.S. from places like Luckyscent.
Sorry, this was supposed to go up in my conversation with nosknos. But while I’m here I will just say that I love Maharani except for that 10 minutes of cat pee early on. I really wish I could skip that because the rest is beautiful.
SOTD has been Gabriella Chieffo “Hystera”..
Top: bergamot and clary sage;
Mid: middle note is iris;
Base: vanilla, patchouli, labdanum and cashmere wood.
This is very rooty iris to start with. I’m enjoying the dry-down more, although it’s undeniably an aromachemical-dominated experience.
More containers planted out today, and the herb garden as well. The next batch will have to wait several weeks as we’re off to Malaga again next Saturday. :^)
I am late to reading NST. Today, after doing my Sunday chores and taking a relaxing shower, I decided to perfume myself with two layered perfumes of Dame Perfumery…Dark Horse and Mexican Vanilla…don’t ask me why I decided on layering those two because it was just a brief epiphany to me that perhaps they would blend well and smell good together. Guess what…I smell fantastic!
I tried Dark Horse a couple of days ago, and it’s still on my mind. Maybe I’ll try it with something vanilla based, too…thanks for the idea! ????
I smelled the new eau des merveilles today. And the new Jo Malone limited edition Star Magnolia. I did not care for either. I did, however, spray some of the elixir flanker on myself. Mmm
Been running errands today in a fun mix of Hermes Vetiver Tonka and ELdO Like This. Also added in Cuirelle, a sample from a generous NSTer.
I’m really loving both the Cuirelle and the Vetiver Tonka. The dry down on Like This, however, smells like dirty carrots. That’s not good.