Monday's ugly little sister, plus a cold rain, for National DNA Day. Hope the weather is nicer where you are. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm staying cozy in Prada Candy. Tea at the moment is Upton Bond Street English Breakfast.
Reminder: on 4/28, will it be Gucci or Givenchy? Pick one and make your case, or wear one of each.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2017, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: the Orb Purple Porcelain Teapot is £29.95 at Imperial Teas in the UK.
Cold and wet in Duesseldorf as well, alas.
SOTD is Penhaligon’s “Iris Prima”.
Top: pink pepper;
Mid: iris and jasmine;
Base: leather, sandalwood, vetiver, amber, vanilla and benzoin.
I feel like congratulating the perfumer for developing a Penhaligon’s scent that doesn’t make me want to strangle its creator. This one is not wonderful, but it is competent and acceptable. We take our wins where we can find them. ;^)
I liked the reviews and found a discount bottle. It was nice but faint for me. I have not tried others by them.
I do like Ostara.
Agreed. That is a very pretty one by Penhagilon.
This one grew on me, and I finished my splash mini, but I don’t quite miss it yet.
I like Ostara and Night Scented Stock – both discontinued after very brief production runs. They seem to give up on the good ones quickly over there.
Violetta d/I’d as well, though that had a longer run.
d/c’d, that is.
I wish someone would do a cologne with the interesting parts of Sartorial but without the generic Masculine! notes. I like the flinty chalk and beeswax together.
Here’s a vote for Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling. I just love it in summer. Sometimes can’t decide whether to wear it or drink it!
I’m trying Decou-vert by Laboratorio Olfattivo from this month’s Sens Unique box. It’s a pleasant greenish floral without much sillage.
Cold and showery in the Netherlands.
Sotd is Le parfum de Thérèse.
Tea is some Earl Grey, can’t remember which one.
I gave a travel of that perfume to a friend for her birthday as her name is Thresea. She made a point of letting me know she loves it the other day. I finally have a perfume person in my life!
That is great and very generous. Most of my real life friends think I’m mad. Mind you, they might be right, but it’s such an innocent kind of insanity.
My hairdresser used to tell me about his Aunt Therese who was quite a perfumista but in her old age would spray anything in a spray bottle all over herself – window cleaner, bug spray, etc. I brought him a little sample of Le parfum de Therese to sprinkle on her grave when he went to Europe for her burial.
That was so kind of you.
That is a very lovely gesture. And that poor lady.
I don’t have any good stories, but you smell wonderful!
Thank you! This is the best Thérèse story I think:
http://graindemusc.blogspot.nl/2010/04/edmond-roudnitskas-le-parfum-de-therese.html
This is wonderful and reminds me how much I miss the times when Denyse was posting more regularly.
I was very nearly in tears when I first read this. And, yes I miss her reviews a lot. Did you read Octavian’s as well?
Weather is sunny but chilly here. Wearing Misia to warm me up, I find it nice and cosy when there’s still a bit of a chill in the air.
I have the new EDP version and I really like it. Which one are you wearing?
curious–do you like it more than the EDT?
I have the edt, but I hear that this one is very similar in edp,
Unlike some of the others.
I find it to be very similar
you smell wonderful!
Thanks!
Tuesday as Monday’s ugly little sister is fabulous! I will remember that.
The only Givenchy I ever tried was like an ice pick to my brain so none of them this week. I am sure there were others that are fine 🙂
Today I am in Gurlain vintage Shalimar cologne- best garage sale ever, still unopened 45 years later.
wow! you smell fab!
Well I used to say it every Tuesday, but someone complained about the consistent dissing of a particular day. So now perhaps I will reserve it for particularly ugly Tuesdays 🙂
I still contend that good things can happen on Tuesdays!
Of course they can! They can happen on Mondays too 🙂
Lucky find! Even the current Shalimar edc is nice but I’m sure the vintage is way way better
I do not have any others to compare to
Wow! That sounds amazing!
great find! you smell lovely.
I had a good time on my little adventure yesterday. Clydes Pharmacy was nice but not many testers out. They also had the soaps that Robin posted about in her Mother’s Day gifts Part 1, so I got to see, feel and smell them. I headed over to AG store across the street and tried Rose PonPon and Eau de Sud. Eau de Sud reminded me a bit of Cristalle, anyone else?
Later on I went downtown to Santa Maria Novella and must confess I bought a cream for my face that was way over my budget but what can you do, Donatella forgives (especially since the cream is Italian) I was hoping they would throw in some samples at that store but nope. I really loved Calicantus and the tea note in Cinquanta. I didn’t test the honeysuckle one-next time. The pomegranate dry down was very sandalwood and intense on me.
Today I am off to lunch and museum with a friend. SipOTD is my FIL homemade Chai. A perfume fairy came to my building and dropped me off a goodie bag. I am trying out Wit for the first time.
Wit is very pretty, you smell great!
Enjoy your fun day today! Wit is lovely.
What fun!
Thank you so much for reporting back! There is an AG store across from Clyde’s? Good to know 🙂
Eau de Sud smells similar to Cristalle to my nose too. Assam of India also reminds me of vintage Eau d”Hadrien.
and I am so jealous of your homemade chai 🙂
Yes..and short walk away from F. Malle store
What a lovely day and a nice reprieve from your little ones!
What a wonderful day!
Sounds like you had a great day.
I agree that there are some similarities between Eau du Sud and Cristalle. It’s that citrus (especially bergamot) and oakmoss combo. But in addition to these notes I also get a lot of hyacinth from Cristalle, while Eau du Sud is a mix of citruses, herbs and woods (with a noticeable patchouli note). So yes, a bit similar, but still different.
I love Melograno but it requires a light touch.
If money were no object I would of bought a bottle on the spot
Prada Candy is great for fighting cold and rain.
Here it’s gradually getting warmer and we are getting some sun (yay!). I am wearing Guerlain Un Air de Samsara (and saving my one remaining Givenchy and the only Gucci for later). It’s and old-school green floral (most of the time – the woods of Samsara are still there). The original Samsara lurks at the background, but this version is more about bergamot than sandalwood, and the narcissus is quite noticeable. Spring is just the right time to wear it.
Never tried Un Air, that sounds lovely!
This morning I am wearing the last drops of a decant of Eau D’Italie Au Lac. It’s one I dug out of my sample box for last Friday’s Italy perfume day. This one never did a lot for me. It’s beautiful but too light and there is that aquatic note there. Maybe it’s that I don’t enjoy the scent of water lilies. I wouldn’t mind if someone gave me a bottle, but I have no plans to buy one. It should do well today though in our sunny and high 80’s/high humidity forecast for Houston. {Sigh} No more cool clear days ahead for us, not until next November (if we’re lucky)!
You can have our cool days 🙂
Au Lac was too mild and aquatic for me too.
Good morning Y’all!!
Well, we’ve certainly had a LOT of Spring rain the last few days….Our flowers and veggie gardens oughta be very happy right now!
Back in Aromatics in White. My skin really brings out the peppery/spicy notes in this one. It’s a winner!
Its been so gray here too..
Are you making a dent in your shower gels?
Hey there! Well…it’s two steps forward, one step back! LOL
I’ve got 2-3 empties to talk about, but then bought a bottle of Alba Pina Colada wash! Still working on self control issues, but I’m getting there!
Didn’t do a video last weekend because my Mommy life got in the way….back to business this weekend! 🙂
Believe me, I understand Mommy life. The struggle is real
you bought another shower gel???LOL!!!!
Character flaws are hard to overcome! HA HA HA HA 🙂
No character flaws…I find your behavior endearing 🙂
I looked for a new video from you last night, and had wondered. Good to know you will be back this weekend.
End of the year CRAZINESS with band fundraiser, projects, birthday parties, and you name it! LOL
And my camera gal (my oldest) had to make a clay model scene from “Lord of the Flies”….no time for perfume geekiness! 🙂
Oh, I really like AinW! I think I may even like it better than the original in the dry down! You smell great!
The grey day this morning caused me to be unable to think, so back to my no-brainer Caleche. I can smell it too!
Wearing Une Fleur de Cassie from a sample after Angelas post yesterday. I get it but don’t love it.
Was wondering about the lifespam of Therese and Carnal flower, can’t find it and got worried as I have full bottles.
Just found the answers on their site, two years.
OMG, need to use them quick!
I wouldn’t worry too much-if the bottles are stored in a cool dark place they should last for many years.
I’ve had my Therese and Cassie for several years and they’re still good.
Thérèse has been with me for at least 5 years and is fine, and so is Cassie. Mind you I keep all my perfume in it’s box in a cool room.
SOTD: Eau du Soir.
So much better than yesterday’s choice. 😛
Weather is great today! Clear sky + cool breeze.
Isn’t it lovely? It’s expensive for what it is, but for me, so what. It’s great.
Cold rain here today too, and I’m fighting it with Marni Rose – obtained a sample in a spur-of-the-moment swap recently and am lemming pretty hard over it. 🙂
Oh, good choice. I like that one too, and it layers nicely with the original.
Cool and rainy here, too, so also went for the somewhat cozy Guerlain Vol de Nuit Evasion. This stuff is really delicious!
And I got an order from Sucreabeille yesterday. She does Lush dupes among other things so I ordered her hair conditioner in Lust which will replace my Godiva shampoo bar which I love, but the smell doesn’t linger and the bar breaks apart midway through its life. The conditioner smells amazing (and is less expensive)!!
going over to that site…
ooo, I haven’t smelled this one only the Vol de Nuit parfum. what is it like?
I believe it is the re-released, renamed, and then discontinued or ltd addition of the discontinued Guet Apens. So no relation smell-wise to Vol de Nuit except for the guerlinade in the base. It seems more a relative of Mitsouko, maybe?
Eau des Merveilles to match this sunny Tuesday.
National DNA day, who knew? My youngest daughter has an 8×10 printout of her genes because I was of “Advanced Maternal Age” when I was pregnant with her and had some genetic testing done. It’s pretty cool.
My whole family had ours done at 23andme — very interesting stuff!
Checking out their website- very cool!
I have discovered lots of “actionable” information, albeit most of it not directly from 23andme, but by downloading my data and uploading it elsewhere.
Would you recommend 23andme? I have been seriously contemplating having the testing done.
The only factors to me are price and accuracy. I cannot really judge the accuracy because how would I know? I was ok with paying $99 to get my results. I think it’s more now though.
If you want to really learn a lot about specific SNPs and how they affect your health, you will find yourself limited at 23andme because they can only provide the little bit of information the FDA is allowing them to provide. But you can download your DNA, upload it elsewhere, and find out more that way. In the US, that’s really the only choice you have, and it’s not 23andme’s fault so to speak. The other places you might upload your DNA, though, are generally not as non-science-user-friendly as 23andme, so expect a steep learning curve. That said, I’ve learned a good deal from LiveWello, which I think will run you another $20 or $30.
Oh gosh, Robin, thank you so much for all of this info! I have written all of this down for future reference. I am going to definitely do this one of these days. LiveWello sounds like it might be the better of the two.
No, I wasn’t clear — LiveWello will not test your DNA. They will run reports on your DNA after you’ve had it done elsewhere. So you start with 23andme, then download your data, upload it to Livewello. Does that make sense?
In other words (worried I’m still not clear) 23andme is a genetic testing service. You spit in a tube, they test your DNA.
LiveWello is not a genetic testing service, they are just a service that will help interpret the DNA data you’ve obtained from a genetic testing service.
Ah, yes! IT makes sense…I will do 23andme and then use livewello to interpret…I am definitely going to do this when I get my act together 🙂
thank you again for all of this info!!!! Much appreciated .
you smell great!
Chilly morning but sunny and beautiful in the lower Great Lakes, expected high in the low 70s. We are having a gorgeous, lingering spring this year but of course it’s supposed to be back to cold rain for a week. Oh well 🙂
Wearing Zoologist Hummingbird again, I can’t get enough. Sadly it doesn’t last very long on me but that initial hit of fruity creamy deliciousness is well worth multiple applications. Hagd all!
Hummingbird smells like shaving cream to me – not in a bad way, just in a very specific way.
Glad you’re enjoying it.
Enjoy the weather while you can! Sounds lovely.
Cold + rain = another chance to wear Alahine before retiring for the summer.
I was going to wear something flowery, but I ended up in Annick Goutal Neroli. I really like the cypress and cedar notes in this one to offset the sweetness of neroli.
I have the cologne version of this and wear it often in the summer.
Cold rain here in Virginia too but Amouage Beloved is cheering me up nicely.
I’m wearing Hove Kiss In The Dark today. Its reminds me a lot of Shalimar, but not as complex. It will probably stand up to the heat of spring/summertime in the New Orleans area.
Great name!
Still snuffling and congested but SL Rahat Loukhoum is cozy. Does anyone have both Louve and Rahat Loukhoum to compare them? From reading reviews it seems Louve has more musk but I haven’t smelled it in a very long time and am curious about it vs. Rahat.
you smell delicious. (I’m no help, I don’t remember Louve either. )
I have both and for me RL is more of a cherry marzipan, stronger and sweeter on the opening and overall a bit more syrupy…and possibly more incense(y) or dark chocolate (?) at the end. Louve is more of a buttery pastry marzipan, nuttier and softer all round, and less complex…so it’s a fader rather than a developer, more linear than RL. I prefer Louve because it is a bit less distracting …. Not sure I get much musk at all. Louve layers well with Bois de Vanille and Jeux de Peaux.
Yes, I prefer RL but that’s a perfect comparison.
Your description is making me very hungry 🙂
It makes my wallet very nervous. ????
Thank you! I think I want both. 🙂
SotD is Un jardin en Mediterranee, Hermès.
House twins! That’s my favorite of the Jardins, you smell great!
Thank you!
Yeah its my favourite Jardin as well (I have a 50 ml bottle).
Its great in hot weather, and on a cold and rainy day (like today) it works because it reminds me of sunny places. 🙂
Sur le Nil is a close 2nd.
Those are my two faves from that series, too — you smell like summertime gorgeousness!
SOTD is Mugler Cuir Impertinent. I am not sure what I will wear next. I try to pick a scent that works well with the drydown of the last one but not sure with this one!
Cuir Impertinent is so great!
This teapot has colors that exactly match NST look. The purple is almost the same!
Sotd is Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme
But of course 🙂
I’ll be on an expedition to Nordstrom today to sniff my way around the counters, so I’ll be wearing….everything!
Y’all have a great day!
Be sure to make yourself some samples!
Enjoy yourself – and report back!!
Well, I am very much wearing everything. Ok, Nordies is my new playground now.
I’m starting to think that vetiver is just LOVE for me. What is it that makes it seem simultaneously cool and warm??
I got a sample of Diptyque Vetiverio, Eau des Sens and Tam Dao. I need to compare the Vetiverio with the Hermes Vetiver Tonka,because they are both beautiful. What a fun day!????
It’s also International Penguin Day! My 3 yo loves penguins, and I woke up to her reenacting the “There were 10 in the bed, and the little one said . . . ” song with her many stuffed penguins. This was before I even noticed that it was Penguin Day – I guess she just sensed it 🙂
Wearing FM’s Eau de Magnolia – gotta get my spring flowers in while I can . . .
Awww..I should of dressed the little ones in their penguin t-shirts!
I’m still waiting for spring to warm up enough for Eau de Magnolia!
Oh drat, how did I miss that? I’m sure there is a penguin teapot somewhere.
Try this (it’s ridiculously expensive):
http://www.houzz.com/photos/12229012/Franz-Porcelain-Collection-Playful-Penguins-Teapot-transitional-teapots
Nice! Now I just have to remember that the next time Penguin Day falls on a Tuesday 🙂
I really like that tea pot! Funky!
SOTD: Bois des Iles extrait, feeling beautiful!
Starting to pack up my desk for an office move which I’m really not happy about. We’re going even smaller space wise which means more working from home for me as I cannot deal with the noise. Very frustrating as I enjoy being in the office otherwise..
Box of Eels has not been mentioned in a long time on NST
Haha indeed.
And there was a period when I felt I was the only person here who does not wear/have it.
I often feel like I’m in a club of 1 as I do not like it. I’ll spray a bit here and there to see if my nose has changed, but as of yet that has not happened.
I smelled it once and its beautiful, but there is something in a bunch of Chanels that’s preventing me from falling for them. Something soapy and a bit cold. I far from an expert but maybe its the aldehydes?
(I love Sycomore to death though…and I think it contains aldehydes)
But I sure will give BdI another test run when I get the chance!
It will be back next winter! (And if this weather keeps up, maybe sooner.)
I think it might be fun to do a reverse season challenge if it hasn’t been done yet…in other words, wear a winter fragrance in the summer or vice versa…..
Never mind…we already did it …reverse hemisphere….
Just recently! https://nstperfume.com/2017/02/17/frday-scent-of-the-day-217/
Middle aged brain syndrome is my only excuse for forgetting 🙂
It’s warm and windy here, and I’m in Dame Lime, Gardenia, and Benzoin.
Was going for Arbole, Arbole, but my fingers plucked out Opardu, and that is what I went with. Now in a slightly soapy phase, except where my watchband has held the scent against my skin. Very pretty, for tuberose. on a spring day threatening rain.
Up all night with a sick greyhound, so fighting off the desire for a nap with copious cups of coffee and a healthy spritz of Boy.
That’s good stuff. Boy, that is. And coffee. And dogs. And naps! Hope you get some rest tonight!
Hi everyone!, I had an interview this morning, and it turned out to be a group interview! Ugh, it really caught me by surprise. I’m actually pretty quiet, unless I know you, so I was not comfortable at all. Apparently, the hours are for part time, so I don’t even want their stupid job anyway. I have an interview with another company this afternoon. Sotm was Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming. Not sure what I will put on now.
Just as well….and at least now you will be prepared for the unexpected at any future interview…I too do not care for group interviews…I am more a one on one type of person.
Ah, you didn’t need that anyways!
I remember I was unemployed, and had been for a while. A recruiter called on the phone – had picked up my resume on Monster.com- and for some reason, I have had it. I was specific with pay scale and experience, but he insisted that I come in. I said no.
And in saying no, I stopped taking so many BS jobs that I was taking in my 20s, which was actually helping to keep me poor. Just two weeks later, I got a long term contract for an insurance company, which pair more than double than what that recruiter was desperately trying to get me to accept.
You WILL get something- just don’t put with nonsense.
Oh for crying out loud! Really? Unless the interview is for a team position sort of thing, a group interview just seems bats.
I’d be tempted to break into a Babes in Arms “let’s put on a show!”
The worst part was that the other people being interviewed had common background with the interviewers. They were all “bonding” and I was just so out of my element. It was really unprofessional IMHO. I almost left once I realized it wasn’t for me, but didn’t want to give them something else to talk about.
Oh that’s rubbish, hope u have good luck next time!
Wait, the group was the interviewees? Aw hayull no! I interpreted “group” to mean one of those horrid panel interviews. But interviewing a group of potential hires? That’s just cruel.
Yes! Two managers and the rest were potential hires. That’s why I was so surprised, and irritated.
Hope a better opportunity presents itself. What a waste of time! Sorry you had to go through it.
Oh wow, thats just unheard of. So sorry you had to sit through that. 🙁
I hope you’ll find better opportunities, dont give up!
That sounds annoying. Hope the 2nd one is better!
Some organizations do this deliberately to see if applicants can work on teams effectively. They want to see how applicants interact with others, e.g., if they try to bulldoze others or can convince in subtle ways and draw out everyone’s ideas. Excluding you shouldn’t have gotten anyone points, if the interviewers were alert. Of course, it’s possible they just wanted to save time/money by interviewing multiple candidates at once.
I went for it today with Givenchy Organza. It made me nervous to wear it to work, but it’s not as in your face as I had initially pegged it to be. Just one spritz top the neck and one to the wrist was the right way to go. This is definitely a classic floriental. It’s a nice change of pace, and I’m enjoying it. Good thing too because my boyfriend’s mom gave me her barely used 3oz bottle before she moved out of state.
This is my 91 year old mother’s “everyday” perfume, though I personally don’t think it is “old lady” in any way.
I am late to the party!
Decided to make a dent in my neglected bottles of 1000 Flowers..especially since the juice seems to be drastically changing colors!
So today I am going with the all natural Narcotic Flowers…BWF for sure!
National DNA Day? Huh. SOTD is RBR Silhouette, which smells incredibly masculine on me, despite quite a feminine note list.
I more or less learned how to drive a stick shift yesterday! Now let’s hope I can learn well enough to drive on the freeways to get to my new job before I start it in a few weeks! (I’m borrowing my boyfriend’s car until I’m ready to be enough of a grown-up to buy my own car.)
Yay for manual transmissions! I’d love to have one again. I miss it.
Freeways are the easy part with a stick shift. Keep practicing! I tried to teach my H to drive a manual but it didn’t really take LOL. That said, he’s not a great driver to begin with. ????
I’m also not a good automatic driver :-/ I have hardly ever driven in my life, and not at all in the past 3.5 years. It’s hard to remember all the normal driving rules AND ALSO figure out how to incorporate another pedal and gear box. I understand his pain!
It takes a lot of practice! You’re quite courageous to attempt it! We now have automatics and I’ll never go back. The only time I liked it was when I lived in LA, as it gave me something to do while I was stuck in traffic.
Ha! Sounds like me. I failed at stick shift, partly because I hate driving here. People drive like animals and my reaction time is slow.
That’s quite a task. Good luck!
Good for you! It’s all I drive.
Feeling really peeved about local politics here. (Short version: we need a new middle school to replace two aging ones. Board of Supervisors says that raising real estate taxes from $.63 per $100 of assessed value to $.74 is unreasonable and unnecessary and they’re not going to put a bond referendum on the ballot in November. @#%*&%&.)
Iris Poudre keeping me from chewing people out. I hope. >:(
People don’t know: local school politics are the WORSE. Am dealing with similar nonsense here in PDX.
Iris Poudre should keep you chilled out.
I’ve been down that bond road twice. I hear your pain. I was the steering and official pain in the a-$-$ that got a bond referendum on one ballot for a full mill and won…. and then another time got my head handed to me on a few platters and failed massively in a colossal massacre of political interference and legal backstabbing. It never ceases to amaze me how cheap people can be over basically what is only a few dollars per person per year. I have this joke with my husband vis-a-vis Return of the Jedi regarding small minded politics and stingy governing bodies…. recall the Emperor punishing Luke & DV with a hand full of lightening bolts: You will pay for your lack of vision! Say it just a few times to get it right: You will pay for your lack of vision! Zzzt.
OH MAN. That Emperor image!! I wish I could zap every supervisor except my own representative on the board, who is in favor of the much-needed new school. (Um, it’s my husband. Who does not actually take more notice of my views than of his other constituents, but after four years on the school board, he knows we need that school and is willing to let the voters decide if we will raise taxes for it.)
I do indeed think “lack of vision” is the reason the supervisors think we don’t need the school. That, and fear.
SMH. I don’t have kids, but I always vote FOR the school bond measures. I believe school taxes are far preferable to getting mugged by illiterate, unemployable youth.
amen to that!
Finishing a sample of Orlov Flame of Gold today. It’s nice but not FB nice.
I’m so tired today…my guy is traveling and I do not sleep as soundly when he is away. The good news is that I over spray myself in Shalimar every evening. He likes it after it dries down a bit but thinks the opening “stinks a little” so I take the opportunity to wear it a lot when he is gone.
Shalimar’s great any time of day, but I particularly like it in the evening.
Happy Tuesday, guys!
1) In Givenchy PI (3.14). This is VERY similar to Tom Ford Noir but without the menthol coolness at the end. So I can see the inspiration for that fragrance.
2) My bus driver saw deer on the campus, eating all the new tender pasture that has come up. There were baby deer too, so traffic at the site here was a bit snarled.
Regarding no.1, I actually noticed the similarities the other day. I love PI
I was so close to trying Pi the last time I was in Sephora (but I had already exceeded my limit!) Now I wish I had 🙂
Trying to work through some samples so I am in Carven Le Parfum today.
Very nicely done floral…inoffensive but not terribly exciting.
Sometimes I feel like a rowdy gladiator spectator when I smell a perfume that is good but not exciting…the crowd wants more blood and/or interesting notes. 😉
Hey there, last week when you replied to my post that you had never tried Youth Dew Amber Nude, I offered to send you a sample once I received my bottle from ebay. I don’t think you saw it because it was really late in the day. Anyway, you can reach me at my username at gmail if you’d like to try it!
Thanks so much…I missed your reply. Just emailed you. 🙂
Morning, all! I’m a sultry, stuck record in my continuing, uncharacteristcally monogamous relationship with Sous le Vent.
Monogamy can be a good thing (on occasion) 😀
Funny how weird it feels with regards to perfume!
I didn’t get a chance to comment the other day, but I hope you’re doing alright in the face of all the challenges life has thrown your way lately. That’s an immense amount of stuff to bear up under the weight of. Sending hugs!
Hugs received! Thank you 🙂
Wow – that sounds like the kind of relationship I could really use 🙂
Good for you! There are many people who wear the same perfume for, ahem, many years without fail. I think they call it their “signature”, ha ha.
I thought about doing Gucci today and Givenchy the rest of the week, but the only Gucci I have is Rush, and I wasn’t feeling it. I just wanted something kind of clean and simple today, so I went with Vetiver Tonka. May still do the rest of the week in Givenchy. I had forgotten how much I have. Not that it’s a lot, just a few minis.
You smell great.
You do smell wonderful. That one might be my favorite Hermes. So far.
Just a few drops of Stash oil in my hair as I try to convince myself to go to the gym… my reward (should I agree to take this mission) will be several sprays of Néroli Outrenoir post shower. No gym, no Néroli Outrenoir….
You can do it! Get out there, you’ll feel so accomplished when you’re done working out. And then NO- of course!
Okay! Jumping in the shower and then NO!
Great plan!
Wearing Guerlain Ne m’Oubliez Pas. I only have a sample that was exceedingly difficult to obtain (I have this rule that I won’t buy samples or decants as they evaporate.). A trick for this one since I love it so much is that I keep it at work for the days I’m rushing out and didn’t pick a perfume. It’s a real treat and this way it is lasting me longer than if I had it at home. (Even though it’s a Paris boutique exclusive, it’s Guerlain, so my guess is they’ll reincarnate it at some point under a different name.)
Ha! lol, I hope you’re right about Ne m’Oubliez Pas being reincarnated. As I tend to get on well with many Guerlains, I do want to try that one eventually.
TPC has got samples/decants. I ordered some recently during their 25% off sale.
I’m wearing a sample of Angel Muse that I got from the Basenotes meetup in Denver. I quite like it once I get past the sweet berry opening but I don’t think I need a bottle. The violin soloist at last night’s symphony was _dramatic_ in her performance and I spent most of the time with my eyes shut trying to concentrate on the music and not her contortions.
We recently saw a performance during which I had to avert my eyes from the conductor. He wasn’t particularly dramatic, but there was something about his style that was incredibly distracting. I quite like dramatic performers, but I understand what you mean 😉
And maybe give Muse some time? I had a mfr sample this fall that I’d spritz a bit of here and there. But I kept coming back to it, and eventually those little sprizes turned into full ones, then on both wrists, then full sprays. Then I bought a mini. (Then went through exactly that same process with the original Angel!) I’d never have thought either would be my style, but I have developed a deep love.
You inspired me to look at the Sephora website to see if they had travel sprays and they do! I think one is in the cards for me this weekend.
Twins! I have to go out in the rain and chill so wanted cozy. I think the thing that convinced me in this scent was getting a scent of something I like wafting while I was waiting to cross the street. It stayed on my scarf, so I finally realized what I was smelling.
PSA – Essenza Nobile is back with DHL Express shipping – they have been having issues in the past. They also have min of 550 euros for free shipping and a 10% coupon. If anyone is interested in combining orders, ping me at marianna_r in the yahooooo world.
Paris Duty free question – a friend is going to be spending some time in Paris Duty Free (as a part of layover) – any recommendations on what to buy there in terms of fragrances?
Serge Lutens’ bell jars are much cheaper.
URGH and SOTD is Pathetique by O’Driu. Beautiful.
I don’t think I have any Givenchy right now, even in a sample.
I’m wearing Angel Innocent. Tonka-tastic!
Oh? That’s one I haven’t tried. (see above re: Angel) May have to rectify.
It’s nice! I think of it as softer and simpler than Angel, and much more about tonka than patchouli.
I think I had it in my head that it was sweeter. Thanks for the rec! PS – I love the A*Men Pure Malt you sent on my H (he doesn’t wear it as often as I’d like, actually.) I tested the Violet one and it was quite overwhelming, so I’ll have to approach it in small doses like I did with Muse. *tiptoes* 😉
I had a bottle (well, can) of that long ago – the only Angel I could wear. I wonder what happened to that ? Did I (gasp!) actually once finish a bottle of something?
Wearing my second attempt at a body oil, this time with re-purposed Ambre Loup sample. Only had a little bit left, but I like it much better than when sprayed. I think, in general, the scents that I prefer dabbed are going to do better in oil form–longevity and slow burn and less projection.
I missed your first attempt. Are you just adding straight perfume to oil? I had a “gel-concrete” Rosine that I’d been adding to coconut oil to use post-shower, but it’s all gone now. Would dumping perfume into it and mixing it up work? Anyone?
My first attempt was with a spray sample of A men Pure coffee. I took a small (maybe 7 ml?) vial and put 1 part argan oil, 4 parts sweet almond oil, and sprayed the sample in, shook it up, and left it over night. Both attempts have been worth doing. It’s nice in the morning or after a shower to have a moisturizing and subtle/low projection scent that hangs around a while.
I’ll try doing that with coconut oil. I really like coconut oil as a moisturizer but do not love the smell. I don’t use fragranced lotions so this is opening a whole new world of possibilities for me! Thanks!
Played along with the theme last night with some Gucci Rush and remembered why I don’t wear it. It is certainly interesting and unique but is so piercing and relentless that I just don’t want to have it on. I think this one needs to be re-homed.
Resetting the sniffer in Eau Des Merveilles today.
Can I sniff the bottle? But now I’m scared of the juice!
Sure, I’ll bring it along tomorrow!
27th? Am I cuckoo?
Urgh, no it is me that is cuckoo. Tomorrow I have to go to the dentist for a crown so I think my mind just skipped past tomorrow to something way more fun.
Wearing Givenchy Pi today! Luca Turin described it as a”sweet nothing” but there is nothing wrong with that! Always well behaved and not intrusive, I enjoy it very much.
I had one of those single-use packets of Pi and absolutely swooooned when I put it on. I was searching for a bottle within minutes, then something about the drydown put me off. I still wonder about it, though, since I only wore it the one time!
While I mostly get benzoin from this fragrance there is definitely a clean, fougere thing going on in the base.
Upon further consideration and looking up the notes, there is definitely a rosemary and basil thing happening. So a faint medicinal cleanness that is probably not everyone’s cup of tea.
I like that one!
I love Pi on my husband. I make sure he stays supplied.
Just a minute to pop over. I am attempting to wear some of my great but neglected fragrances right now while we are in transitional spring weather. SOTD is my old decant of Amouage Gold for Men. Just a minuscule dab so I don’t knock myself out. This is a real beauty if you know how to control it.
Yesterday was Hermes Eau des Merveilles (love it) and today is Hermes Jardin Sur Le Nil (love, but making me sneeze).
In other news, i have foot issues including a Morton’s Neuroma (makes the bundle of nerves under the ball of my foot at the base of my 2nd / 3rd toe or thereabouts) and just found these awesome insoles! For under $20! My tootsies are feeling good!
The brand is Pedag. I’m open to other suggestions if anyone has similar problems!
Oops, makes the bundle of nerves extra tender and painful if not given enough room in the toebox
And heels over 1″ are out of the question 🙁
I miss heels 🙁
I feel you. I have a neuroma and the last time I wore heels I ended uo in the ER with severe foot pain-that was like over 10 years ago now. But platforms have somewhat made me feel better about not being able to wear heels.
Owwch! The ER, omigosh.
And heck yeah to platforms. And dansko.
I have foot issues as well (severe pronation) and use a lot of pedag products. They make good stuff. I also get really excited about insoles, particularly when they’re deeply discounted (those things can get really pricey!) I got a pair of Naot insoles that make my (heeled) booties soooo much more comfortable (they shift the weight off the balls of my feet) and some Vionic shearling orthotics for my Sorel winter boots that are heavenly – each for about $15 on sale this winter. Thrilling!!! 😀
Shoebuy can be a great source for such items, as they always have those major % off codes. Pedag products I usually get from amazon. In the summer I mostly wear clog sandals – no orthotics needed. But probably exactly the opposite kind of shoe a gal like you needs. (My footwear needs to be stiff and supportive – for MN you need squishy and soft, right?)
I actually find firmer insoles more comfortable with MN but the key really is not a lot of padding or pressure in the ball of the foot and wider toe box, like Nebbe said. There’s always surgical removal but I know someone who did it but had more problems after and permanent numbness so I’ve decided against it.
Oh! If firm and no padding/pressure on the ball of the foot is what works, maybe clogs would work for you all, too. (I also have issues with my sesamoidal bones, so pressure/padding there is something I have to avoid.) I’ve always been a fan of clogs and wooden soles in general so making the switch has been an easy one for me. I have clog boots and booties I wear in the winter; sandals for the summer.
They’re expensive, but for my foot comfort, worth it. I’ve turned into kind of a clog-obsessive, so if either of you want recommendations, I can point you to some sites that make really cute ones 😀
I used to wear Dansko’s which are great-except for the ankle buckling. As are Naot-I have a newish pair of lace-up booties which are soooo comfortable and ergonomic(Shoebuy buy). I really want a pair of Sven boots but they’re pricey.
Point away! I love clogs too, but am only familiar with Danskos
I have some Sven boots and a few pair of their sandals. If you get on their email list, they have sales fairly often which makes them *slightly* more affordable. Also, the prefab (outlet) clogs are returnable – the handmade ones are not.
Sandgrens makes realllly cute clogwear, though I’ve never tried them. Some of their line, as well as Lotte From Stockholm, and Maguba, are carried at amazon. (I tried a pair of Magubas and didn’t find them very comfortable, but they make the cutest clogs ever.)
Shoebuy carries Troentorp, who do traditional clogs. I have a pair and they’re very comfortable, but quite heavy (I wear them to cook in.) I’ve got a pair of Funkis sandals that I absolutely love (Anthropologie carries them occasionally.)
From “fashion” lines, I have booties/sandals by Kelsi Dagger, Coclico, and Latigo. They don’t exclusively do clogs but generally have some in their lineup.
No. 6 Store carries gorgeous but incredibly expensive clogs year-round (they’re actually made by Sven.) Bryr Studio has beautiful clogs as well, but also very pricey. If I stopped buying perfume, maybe I’d be able to afford a pair 😉 but for now I just window shop.
As to Swedish Hasbeens, YMMV. They’re too narrow for my narrow-ish feet, and I don’t find their footbed to be particularly comfortable.
I can’t wear Dansko or Sanita as their footbeds are too squishy for me, so I wear lines that use actual wood or wood-type polymers. (I do actually have a couple pair of polymer-soled Danskos that are the most comfortable sandals ever, but that particular line was discontinued.)
Good health to your feets!
Oooo, i am going to investigate this Shoebuy! Thanks kpaint!
May you wear your shoes in good foot & wallet health ;D
Thanks for these references! Also, many people are wearing shoes that are simply too small, either out of vanity or habit – feet tend to stretch out and elongate with age.
I definitely did out of vanity. I couldnt resist a cute pair of secondhand shoes. If i could stuff my foot in i would go for it.
I also have narrow heels, which helped me get away with it.
Youthful indiscretions.
Speaking of vanity and feet elongating, has anyone noticed vanity sizing with shoes these days? I used to wear a 10.5 as 10s were always too small. Lately I’ve bought some 10s that are way too big (even with insoles and orthotics stuffed in them.)
Argh! Enough with the vanity sizing already!
You smell great! House twins/Jardin siblings. I was wearing Jardin en mediterranee today. 🙂
You smell great, too!
Chilly here, too. No rain yet but it’s on its way. I, too, am struck by how well that teapot matches the NST theme. It needs a permanent spot here! 😉
Wore Kelly Caleche edp yesterday and was struck by the similarity with Galop, so am in Galop today. Galop’s fruit is sweeter and more pungent, and the leather’s leatherier – a saddle, perhaps, versus KC’s ladies’ gloves? Actually, I was surprised by how leathery Galop is from the first wear. Hermes “leather” always smells like luxury goods to my nose, rather than the motorcycle jacket or Frye boots I might get from other leather perfumes. KC is smoother than Galop- and maybe more feminine? At any rate, they are different enough that owning both would be warranted. (I also die for that Galop bottle. Some day!)
I’ll have to read comments later. SOTM was Bois de Violette. Fitting for a rainy day. Since that has long since faded, I refreshed with the last dregs of Chypre 1942. This is a pretty one and I’ll miss my little decant.
Good morning all. Very late start! I didn’t wake until getting on for seven, and I have pretty much slept yesterday’s headache away, but despite being really almost complete we’ll, I’m playing hookey today. The Head of School has scheduled a 5 hour meeting of the whole school to review the curriculum of the undergraduate degree, and I find those things tedious and pointless. The meeting invariably coalesces into factions for and against change, and in the end, progress is minuscule.
So. Here I am, truanting, just as I did through primary school and most of high school, both of which I considered a colossal waste of my time, but today I smell rather different. Back in the heady days of my truanting teens, I would have been wearing Acquamanda, Helena Rubinstein Appleblossom, Windsong or even 4711; today (day 3 of my new perfume regime), I am in L’Heure Bleue.
This is a deep, lovely and complex scent. Right now, I have no idea of the composition (and I’m too bone idle to look the notes up), but I feel encapsulated, even conquered, by this perfume. Oh dear. Yes, wrapped and stifled in a velvet cape is what I feel, with maybe a real fur collar (no, just no, unless it’s possum fur, sorry to any Australians reading this!), so this perfume is still not for me. I smell utterly gorgeous and feel absolutely terrible. Trapped. Excuse me while I go and scrub it off.
L’Heure Bleue was created in 1912; women were still in corsets, as well as capes in those days.
http://www.vintagevictorian.com/costume_1912.html
And yet, L’Heure Bleue may have been shocking in its day: Kevin indicates it was the first Guerlain to use aldehydes.
https://nstperfume.com/2007/05/18/guerlain-lheure-bleue-fragrance-review/
I like it occasionally, but only when I’m in a late autumn blue hour mood.
Thank you for the links, nozkoz. Now that I’ve reduced the potency of the perfume a bit, I feel better wearing it, or more accurately, letting it wear me. It’s an odd sensation, to enjoy the scent itself while disliking the feeling it engenders, but it explains why I like LHB on other people yet never reach for it as a SOTD. I wonder if there’s a connection back to my childhood or something? Maybe a disliked great aunt wore it. Dunno.
Even if I don’t persevere with this “wearing regime” for more than a couple of weeks (and the “rules” are already starting to chafe a bit), adopting it has still been worth it to understand my peculiar reaction to this beautiful classic.
Fabulous L’Heure Bleue review, thank you for the link. 🙂
I agree. L’Heure Bleue is utterly transporting for the mind, sometimes overwhelming for the nose and body. I enjoy the EdP and so bought the EdT unsniffed. EdT is a better fit for me. But I must be in just the right mood when I wear either one, usually in the evening after bathing, when the weather is cool, and the house is quiet. A gentle spritz or two is an abundance.
I tried current AG Eau de Monsieur yesterday. It’s not terrible, but it’s very generic and bears no resemblance to the old AG Eau de Monsieur. Not even a suggestion of the immortelle and oakmoss that distinguished that classic masculine.
This is unlike my experience with current/recent AG Vetiver, which was very similar to the old Vetiver and potentially worthwhile (I have only a dauber vial to judge).
This morning I tried April Aromatics Purple Reign, which started out pretty but disappeared after only a half hour or so. Too bad, but it wasn’t going to displace my favorite spicy, resinous scents from this line anyway.
I’ll try to remember to get out the vintage Eau de Gucci after classes this evening. 🙂
The old Monsieur is wonderful. I’ll wear it tomorrow. I’ve got a good amount of it, and don’t use it nearly enough. I like the current Vetiver cologne, but it’s not as great as the original. I haven’t tried current Monsieur.
Happy World Penguin Day, NST! It’s also called Penguin Awareness Day, depending on which story and/or writer one is reading.
Back to the sample stash again for today’s SOTD, which is Diorama. I’m liking it. Another untried sample had been sniffed!
As mentioned above am in Angel Muse. Rain, wind, bluster seems to call for it. Meeting my husband for a double feature downtown, so it’ll be a late night. Two movies from the early ’70s – conspiracy/assassination stuff.
Nice that someone complimented me on my scent yesterday. That rarely happens. Bottega Venetia from a sample.
sotd = Hiris, my weird and wonderful darling.
All day I’ve been edgy. The sunlight is harsh, I’ve no appetite, things are off kilter. I mentioned this feeling to a colleague. She said, “Oh, Mercury is in retrograde until May 3. Things will be better by then.”
Wha?
I surely hope tomorrow will be better.
Nice teapot! Every time I see something in purple, I immeditely think of buying it for my purple-obsessed niece who is now in the workforce and has been for the past 3 years! One of my work appropriate gifts to her was a purple Longchamps totebag. And speaking of bags, the latest Coach line with what looks like sew-on patches is so fugly I can’t imagine why Macys would feature it prominently in 4 prime window displays!
So once again, an Amtrak failure is causing massive delays and I am caught in the middle!
SOTD = MDCI Chypre Palatin
It’s a melange of anything and everything and IMHO, one of Bertrand Duchaufor’s Top Ten perfumes of all time.
Note to people who insist on wearing jeggings: the elasticity of the material is not an excuse for you to buy a pair that is 2+ sizes too small for you. Jeggings do not have a slimming effect if you are Rubenesque plus.
Note to the person who wore a mini-skirt yesterday – if it looks like a pair of shorts that barely covers your ASSets AND you cannot put one foot in front of the other and instead have to propel yourself forward by taking penquin steps and twisting your waist and hips from side to side, I’ve got news for you: 1) It is too short; 2) It is too tight; 3) It most certainly is NOT work-appropriate
This is hilarious. Sometimes I miss the good ole dress code at work – I see women wearing things that are only appropriate for Vegas clubs – and while I do not think that clothes makes a person, it is hard to take seriously someone who is more skin than they have clothes on.
The fugly display? Because Macys.
Hahaha LOL@ your jeggings remark, I totally agree!
And this whole legging/yoga pants for street/office/daily wear seems here to stay, and I cannot get used to it. 🙁 (but I am probably getting old haha)
h- I cannot tell you how much your rants make me laugh…what a great way for me to start my day…thanks for that 🙂
Cold and intermittently rainy hear too.
SOTD: Olfactive Studio Chambre Noire which is my fav from this line and on the FB wishlist. Always makes me think of a brown leather vintage suitcase with a touch of resins, amber, wood and incense. Kind of chewy and savoury if you know what I mean 🙂
SOTD was Eau Duelle from a decant that was hiding out in my makeup bag from the gym. It’s just a comfortable scent to wear.