Shhhh — it's Under The Radar Friday! Our community project for today: wear a fragrance with minimal (or no) sillage, or something you consider a "skin scent". Thanks to Hajusuuri for the suggestion. (And a quick PSA: the Etat Libre d'Orange giveaway is still open!)
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I'm (quietly) wearing two sprays of Hermès Le Jardin de Monsieur Li.
Reminder: 6/2 will be Antoine Friday...wear a fragrance by perfumer Antoine Lie or Antoine Maisondieu, if you have one.
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.
Wearing SL Jeux de Peau, which to me is a skin scent thrice over- the name, the scent (baby skin and cereal milk,) and the sillage with 1-2 sprays 😀
Oh, nice pick!
I’d really like to sniff a baby. Everyone raves about how they smell (presumably only when not expelling things from their body), but I genuinely have no idea what a baby smells like. Sometimes my cats smell faintly of kittens.
I think baby skin scent is about mommy’s nose and how quiet and cozy huggies they give. I have now a 2 months baby and when she is quiet in my arms, I can’t stop smelling her head, but when she is crying, I can’t notice any smell, just my sweat, trying to calm her down. ????.
I’m almost a “skin scent” here, I follow this blog, but scarcely I make any comment. I tried to “go down in the habbit hole” because I really like scents but in my country is so difficult to get samples so I gave up, I just read and try to imagine…
Just saying hello!
That is adorable 🙂 what country are you in?
That really is adorable!
I’m from Brazil, I’ve asked advice in Monday Mail in the past and I loved it!
Welcome!
Sorry, my sotD is Bottega Veneta eau Legere, but I’m not quite sure if it is a skin scent…
Well, I wore that one yesterday and it was a skin scent on me 🙂
Snap! Scent twins 🙂
House cousins Robin
Galop
Aha — and it’s hard to say which of us is hiding better!
Twins!
SOTD- Caron Farnesiana (wears like a skin scent…so darn pretty!)
Later today I will test Houbigant’s Orangers en Fleurs and Dyptique’s L’Eau de Neroli and I am certain to love both!
Since I have been such a poor participant the entire week with the community project and I do not want to incur “Hajusuuri’s wrath” I am adding a list of fragrances I have owned over the years that wear/wore like skin scents on me-
Gap- Heaven, OM, The Artist
Clinque- Simply
Body Shop- White Musk, Wood Musk
Escada- Escada for Women, Tender Light
Dawn Hurwitz Thran- Perfect Veil
Philosophy- Amazing Grace, Pure Grace, Inner Grace, Baby Grace
Cacharel- Noa
Inland Fog- Egyptian Musk, China Musk, Hinoki Woods
Eden Botanicals- Bourbon Vanilla 30%, Amber Pure & Simple, Sandalwood Dreams
SSS- Egyptian Musk, Sienna Musk
Triloka- Musk
Dame Perfumery- New Musk, Dark Horse, Black Flower Mexican Vanilla
Les Copains -Trend
Atelier- Vanille Insensee, Ambre Nue, Bois Blond, Oolang Infini
Kumba Made- Egyptian Musk, China Musk, Tunesian Musk, Oriental Musk, Amber Paste, Water Goddess, Arabian Musk
Pacifica- Tunisian Jasmine, Spanish Amber, Vanilla Vera Cruz, Indian Coconut Nectar
Jo Malone- French Lime Blossom, Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Fresh Scents by Terri- Breathe
Love’s- Baby Soft, Rain Scent, Wind Scent
Bonnie Bell- Skin Musk
Alyssa Ashley- Musk
Coty- Vanilla Fields, Vanilla Musk, Musk
Avon- Night Magic Evening Musk, Soft Musk, Imari
DSH- Formula X
That’s quite a list! You’re a Perfumista from way back.
*tipping my hat to you* =)
46 years and counting
I can tell you from experience, the last thing you need is Hajusuuri weaving her magic mischief. ;^)
Ha! 🙂
I couldnstillmdo it, just sayin’. 🙂
Great list! *taking notes*
I know we have similar tastes so you might like some of them.
ooooh, super list! thank you! I love flying under the radar. 🙂
Yes, there are times when I am required to fly under the radar myself. And I also wanted to thank you for those videos. I got so many positive responses from co workers, family and friends when I shared.
yay for sharing! 🙂
I am taking copious notes as well. ????
And some of them are actually cheap thrills too!
Wow!!! 🙂
🙂
Great list! I’m in the market for a musky skin scent. I have a bottle of Kuumba Egyptian musk but I just smelled the remnants and I think it’s a little rancid (and not *that* old). Glad it was inexpensive. I need to try some of the others, too.
I wore the Kumba Made in 2007….I was obsessed with them and bought whatever was available at the local health food store. I wonder if they have a short shelf life? I plowed through mine quickly so I can’t say that any smelled rancid. I fou are looking for a nice musky skin scent I would definitely recommend the Inland Fog oils …the musk ones..the hinoki woods wears like a skin on my but others might find it a tad stronger as the notes are lavender, cypress, vanilla, cinnamon and patchouli. Also, the Triloka is excellent…there were only two fragrances that MR. CM8 ever complimented me on (and we have been together for 22 years) Gap Heaven and Triloka Musk.
And you know I just realize I butchered someone’s name..sorry! that would be Sarah Horowitz-Thran of Creative Scentualization who make Perfect Veil.
I just ordered those soaps, (sorry to keep you in the soap loop) and they are already out for delivery and it looks like I should be getting the package at some point today. Free shipping and fast delivery , two thumbs up! Thanks again for your recommendation….
Oh no I love that you are keeping me in the soap loop! Vitacost is excellent when it comes to discounts, free and super fast and easy shipping! I think you will be hooked now just like me 🙂
and they have so much good stuff beyond the fragrance items…once you start exploring the site you will see! Hope you like those soaps and when you order again do try the liquid hand soaps cause I think they smell even better than the bar soaps (especially the Cote D’Azur and Orange Blossom and Shea Butter ones!!)
Oy vey! This is quite the list. I hope nebbe is reading!
You know I am! I’m late to the party, but taking down notes! ????????????
I’m wearing a few dabs of the solid Aftelier Bergamoss. If I could afford to, I’d probably just use it like body lotion.
That would be an expensive day, no? You smell great.
The most expensive day, I’ll get on it right after I buy one of those liter vats of Shalimar.
Just in case you don’t see the comment below- if you live in the U.S., I’m happy to send you Malle samples. My email :
laugsb at sbcglobal dot net
Thank you for the offer! I’m fortunate enough that I can order samples when there is something I’d like to try–it’s just the experience of being able to belly up to counter and play with the real bottles that I’m missing. But thank you again–it’s a very kind offer.
If you change your mind, let me know. I’m fortunate to have a wonderfully Malle SA who is very generous with samples.
Bergamoss is super good. I would go for a shower gel (since I don’t use scented body lotion).
No SOTD yet- our local Neiman Marcus has finally gotten Frederic Malle in-store, so I’m saving skin for Superstitious! Also curious about the Outrageous re-release, especially since the travel spray is only $30.
I still have not tried Superstitious!
Jealous! I wish somewhere near me carried Malle.
Do you live in the US? If so, I’m happy to send you some Malle samples. My email:
laugsb at sbcglobal dot
net
I was extrememy underwhelmed by Outrageous. It was just a thin, sharp chemical smell on me.
I tried it from a decant, it was not for me. I passed it on to a girlfriend who loved it an is not working right now so can’t afford perfume luxuries.
Unrelated, and just because i haven’t seen you post an sotd since the announcement: CONGRATULATIONS on your new scent!!!!! I look forward to trying it. Excellent choice on bottle design.
I had a travel spray of Outrageous! that I quickly tossed into an out-going freebie or swap packet and I suspect that was how I acquired it as well. Not my favorite. Maybe that thing has made the rounds by now (blurggghhh)
I am wondering if Hermes will be the “winner” of the under the radar day. They have such beauties but so little strength.
They will make a good showing I’m sure.
yes, I think so
SotD: Parfums DelRae Panache. I remembered this one as quieter than it is–a failure for today’s community project. What a lovely scent with its floral citrus open plus rum and vetiver.
Gosh, I remember it as awfully quiet too!
SOTD is Annick Goutal “Musc Nomade”.
Notes: musk, angelica, amber, tonka, almond, labdanum, rosewood, ambrette and papyrus.
For a scent that even I don’t always know I’m wearing, it’s rather nice. :^)
Musc Nomade is actually loud and persistent on me. Skin chemistry is so different!
Musc Nomade is not loud on me but its presence is always known. I really like it.
What is not a skin-scent on you?
Ha! There are a few things that last all day – Amouage “Interlude Man” and Gabriella Chieffo “Hystera” among them. I’m happy enough if something lasts half a day. :^)
Have you tried Puredistance M?
Under the Radar Day works for me today. I have been really enjoying my small bottle of PdN Vetyver at bedtime, so I will continue this morning with a good couple of spritzes. It’s warm but fresh, clean but not neutered, sheer yet present. Supposedly, it has cumin but I don’t get any B.O. side effects at all, although I generally get along just fine with cumin, so maybe my skin just likes it. I know this is a big No No some NSTers.
In other non-scent related news, I was out by the pond yesterday feeding the turtles some stale bread I had left over, and suddenly, it was like an Esther WIlliams production: The turtles all lined up, hoisted onto the bank, did a back flip back into the water, concentric circles and ripples crisscrossing and making lovely patterns. In about a hot minute, they were joined by three of the largest rats I’ve ever laid eyes on- the size of a well fed house cat! The rats were better swimmers than the turtles, gracefully dipping, diving, turning, swimming single file, with their long hairless tales being utilized as perfect rudders and their little rat ears twitching. The only thing that could have made it better would be if they were all wearing swimming caps with flowers on them! T-Rex wanted to make their acquaintance in the worst way! I know, I’m an oddball, but I love watching animals anywhere and everywhere. They amaze me.
Reek on Under the Radar today, NSTers! Happy Friday =)
Was enjoying it until I imagined rats as big as house cats!
Ditto!
Oh, so sorry! I’m very “Pro Every Animal Ever Maligned by Man.” This includes wolves, Orcas, sharks, bears, wolverines, rats, mice, snakes, and even a T-Rex or two. 😉 We need all these creatures to maintain a balanced ecosystem and to clean up the mess humans have made. I don’t like cockroaches myself, and have a very irrational emotional reaction to them, but at the same time I understand logically we need them.
Now if only we had an animal that ate plastic…
We don’t really need cockroaches. I could do without them.
And it looks like some bacteria have evolved to be able to digest plastic, so wheeeeeeee!
Scoot over, Deva. I’m right there with you. Every animal exists for a reason (though for the life of me, I don’t know what fleas are for!) and I’m often fond of the ones other people don’t like – opposums and bats come to mind.
Mosquitos?
I’ll add bed bugs to the “no purpose” list.
and the ticks that carry Lymes disease
We don’t need lizards.
But they are so cute 🙂
Turtles, YES! !!!!
Rats, not so much…..
LOL 😉
Enjoy, Deva!
Is there any chance the cat-sized rats were actually muskrats? I would REALLY prefer to think they were muskrats.
oh, maybe…I will have to look into that! Thanks Noz!
Could they have been Nutria?
OH MY GOODNESS you just solved a mystery for me!!!!! I saw these enormous rat-like creatures swimming around in the Canal du Midi in the evenings back when I lived in Toulouse, and I was sure they couldn’t be rats, but I had no idea what they were. A google image search tells me that they were almost certainly muskrats!!!
(Rats, incidentally, tend to be very clean and very smart. They don’t really deserve their bad rap.)
Noz, I did a little research and I think they were rats. Based on the photos and videos I saw, they were not as big and stout as a muskrat, and their snout was pointed, versus the muskrats more blunt snout. Also the fact that they appeared in a direct line across from the dumpster. Unable to look at tracks because the pond is fenced off. I never have my phone when I need a photo! The same thing happens when T-Rex stepped on the copperhead-no phone! I need to Velcro it to my hand ????
Maybe they were taking an after-dinner bath! (I’m fond of pet rats too, and don’t mind wild ones as long as they’re not encroaching on the habitat of native critters.)
Welp, it’s a cool story even with cat-sized rats.
Thank you Deva! That is one of the funniest stories I’ve read in ages! I’m also a big animal fan – I love humour like “The Far Side” comics. As a kid in the 60s and 70s I would swim every day in the summer and remember the older ladies sitting around their pool like lizards basking in the sun. They smelled of Bain de Soleil and cigarette smoke, and some of them were so darkly tanned they looked like those bbq ducks you see hanging in a Chinatown window. Every once in a while, one of them would slip into the water wearing a bathing cap festooned with those rubber flowers. Some of the flowers would come apart from the cap and you’d always see them fluttering in the filtres on the sides of the pool. Speaking of synchronized swimming and animals, have a look the recent Farmers Insurance ‘Mermutts’ ad series – easily found online. And SNL’s sketch ‘documentary’ from the 80s of the first Men’s Olympic Synchronized Swim Team with Harry Shearer, Martin Short and Christopher Guest. Okay, enough laughs for today. SOTD is Hermes Voyage.
Hey, you smell GREAT! I will look up Mermutts and the SNL sketches, for sure! NEVER enough laughter, we need it more than ever now =)
Thanks Deva! Enjoy the clips – you’re right on about the laughter! 🙂
Hey you! I know you! (That skit is pure comedy gold!)
Isn’t it? I’ve seen seen it tons of times and always crack up. Really, it’s right around the beginning of Christopher Guest’s career as a ‘documentary’ film maker… “This is Spinal Tap”, “Best in Show”… so funny, all of them!
What a beautiful thing to witness, rats and all. When my husband and I first started dating, I rat sat for his pet rats-albinos. They were pretty cute.
“Rat sat,” lol. Those two words have never passed my ears before.
Ha! Yeah, that was a first and last for me. They were supposed to be males but I came by one day and found a bunch of brand new pinkies! Most of them didn’t survive-I think they were eaten by one of the 2 “fathers” 😉
That’s crazy-cool! I’ll be interested in if they were actually muskrats (which is my suspicion based on the size and behavior). If you ever see if happen again and can get a photo of tracks I could probably ID it for you from that.
Could you really? Do you work with animals, or is this a hobby?
Just a hobby– wildlife track & sign ID (which I’m good at) and trailing (which I am terribad at). Came within a hair of getting certified as an ID specialist in April (a brutal 2-day exam that you must get 100% on)–but I made the mistake of trusting what someone said about the birds in the area over my own perception!
Fantastic hobby! When I was younger, living in suburbia, I used to read all kinds of books about wilderness tracking and survival. I went to Yellowstone one winter and I was in track heaven! The whole story is written in snow. Track on Sister!
Doc Sinister, I can only applaud your coolness–digging perfume, identifying critters by their tracks…and so adding diversity to the perfume community. What other hidden talents do you have? 😉
Hmm…I can make a fire with a bow drill (on a good day). Other than that it’s fairly standard gardening / dog snuggling 😉
Rats the size of cats and 10000 peoploids split into small tribes…………..
Bowie! I think I’m going to listen to that album later today – haven’t heard it in its entirety for a while.
Probably my favorite Bowie album, and I love them all !
Aladdin Sane a close second………
And David Live! You can hear me clapping!
LOL
I was at one of the shows they recorded for that album
Enjoy! !!
Oh that’s cool! I love them all too – can’t pick a fave.
What a fun treat! Even with the rats. Oddly, I find bigger rats to be less creepy.
That is the coolest story.
Hey, did anyone notice Hamamelis’ post last Monday on the Apopo rats that sniff out things like land mines and TB? (Just google apopo, she says.) Awesome!!! I think I like rats now!
They are amazing animals. Like dogs, they can be trained to detect the presence of cancer cells, etc. amazing!
Rats! I may dream abut this…
Bill Blass Nude from a sample. Don’t even know where or why I got this. What little smell there is smells like Band-Aid.
LOL!
That’s so funny! I acquired this for free after numerous NSTers at a meet up liked it on me. I rarely wear it, but the last time I did my husband commented the next day saying whatever I was wearing he liked. Go figure.
Well, in that case I will give it a second try. I was going to put it in the give-away box.
Maybe it’s a guy thing. See below. Waterdragon’s dear man quite liked it too…
I’m right there with you, Robin, in Brin de Reglisse. Good thing I love Iso Super E. 🙂
Ha, as do I.
Under the radar is usually not my thing, but I’m wearing a sample of Aroma M’s Camelia oil, which wears very close to the skin. Happy Friday, everyone!
I love that scent–do you have the perfume oil, face or body oil? I’ve only tried the perfume oil.
I’ve only tried the perfume oil, but would love to try the others.
I have a face oil of that thanks to a very generous NSTer and I love it. You smell really good 🙂
Dear Friday, I’m so glad you are here! And 3-day weekend to boot!
My skin scent is A Different Company’s Adjatay which I’m still undecided on as to whether or not I like this one. It’s a tuberose/leather combo scent, and it’s pretty but something about this flower with the leather at times turns my stomach, which is obviously not good. But… there’s still a loveliness about it and I’ve not come across any other ‘fume that’s similar. Trying today again to see if I’ve changed my mind at all.
Definitely a skin scent on me.
PS. I’m not really a skin scent fan as I like to smell my fragrance without having to put my nose to my skin to get a whiff.
Adjatay is a skin scent on you? I love it but it’s a bomb on me!
If hubby can’t smell it, is it a skin scent?
It’s friendship, friendship,
Just a perfect blendship,
When other friendships have been forgot,
Ours will still be hot !!!!
You say zig,
I zag,
You say up,
Down! !!!!!! LOL. 😉
Tom Ford Vert des Bois, a throwback to the Halston duo.
Shy, I ain’t! !!!
LOLOLOL. 😉
Triple strength coffee.
Carpe Diem. Peace.
Remember hajusuuri, freeze seedless grapes and use as ice cubes!
Cheers!
Enjoy! !!!!
Such a silly musical, such absolutely fabulous music. I designed costumes for our high school production– it was a fairly comprehensive theater program and a big production. If you’re ever in a jam, here I am!
Yes Oakland Fresca!
Anything Goes!
I mostly associate it with the I Love Lucy episode where Ethel and Lucy destroy each other’s dress, because it is the identical frock. LOL
My ignorance of musical theatre has had some friends threaten to revoke my ‘gay membership’ .
LOLOLOL. As if !!!!!
😀
I remember that episode!
Oh my goodness..yes!!!! that episode of I Love Lucy!!! i grew up watching I Love Lucy….loved that show!
and tell your friends to stop stereotyping you-LOL!
and speaking of I Love Lucy-
do you also remember the grape stomping?
and the vitamitaveggie one?
and the chocolate factory one where she ends up stuffing her mouth with the bonbons?
Oh goodness she was hilarious!
My all-time favorite show. When she gets the request to buy My Sin (if I remember correctly) when they all go on Ricky’s European tour. I had to get a sample of My Sin to try. I do prefer Arpege, though ????
Yes I watched them all !!
My favorite was when Ricky put her on a budget, and she did grocery shopping for all the tenants in the building ‘on credit’.
It was the accountant who had to pay the bill at the end of the month. She pocketed the cash!
Too funny !!! LOL
Yes flopper My Sin. My sister had a bottle but I don’t remember the aroma. I have the 1993 Arpege, wore it last week !
I will look for the seedless grapes on Saturday!
Cheers !!! 😉
Kind of in the challenge today. Wearing ISM today. After spending yesterday with L’Heure dentist Nuit, I am game for something quieter.
L’Heure dentist Nuit would make me game for something quieter too! (Sorry, could not resist — what an excellent spellcheck correction.)
Le Labo Labdanum 18. This was my gateway drug into niche perfume, and is still one of my desert island picks. Soft, cuddly and subtly sexy. Musc Ravageur’s demure younger sister.
The sun is out and I’ve got a 4 day weekend. Life is good!????
You smell great! Love Labdanum 18.
Thanks! Have you ever tried it in the perfume oil?
Sadly no.
????”gateway drug”. Love that!
I’m in a couple of sprays of Eau de Gentiane Blanche from a travel spray. I will enjoy it, but I haven’t walked around in a cloud of Theorema loveliness in over a week, and I’m missing it!
And if that’s the worst thing that happens today, I’ll be in great shape. ????
Yes you will!
Not a skin scent fan so I don’t own much in that category. I went for a single spritz of Misia instead to be in the spirit of things.
That works!
You pass LOL!
You smell good!
I am wearing one of my favorite leathers, the exquisite Cuir d’Ange by Hermes. I am head over heals over it, but it’s so light…
You smell wonderful! I wore this gem yesterday.
house cousins
And so do you!
Almost everything wears like a skin scent on me but Cuir D’Ange is one that wears really well. Long-lasting, good sillage. But I know I’m in the minority.
SotM = Iris Ukiyoe because it is all the way under the radar. This scent was my very first Hermes 15 ml bottle thanks to a hajusuuri split. YAY!
I thought about going all out with sample dabs and a few spritzes of Les Infusions de Prada (Iris EdP, Iris EdT, Iris Cedre, Amande, and Oeillet), but I am easily swayed by a pretty picture of a pretty scarf.
It really is 🙂
I would save that for reeky Friday 🙂
lol, you’re right, even the Prada Infusions are gonna reek if worn five at once.
Oh, boo. I was going to join you in IU but I haven’t got any left. Spritzed in the last of a Caleche sample instead, which is prettier than I remembered, and very, very soft.
hi, almost twin! you smell great in Caleche. 🙂
I went with Bottega Veneta today because it wears fairly quietly on me, I think.
I always think that one is quiet but I’ve gotten comments on it so maybe not.
Same here. I’ve gotten compliments, which is not common.
LOL notice I qualified with “I think”. I sort of remember getting a comment on this one once too, and that rarely happens to me, so it may not be as quiet as I think it is.
A friend of mine wears this beautifully. I notice it on her while standing at a normal social distance away. It’s subtle and low key, but it’s there. So – perfect really. ☺
In Chanel No.18 EdT. It wears very close to the skin and it does not last for too long. I guess this is one of the Chanels which does not get too much love, since I do not see it mentioned here at all. It is lovely, pretty and I always enjoy it wearing it.
I would like to apologize to the Nsters who received samples from me this week. I mixed up the size of decants that I had planned to use (5ml). I know some of you ended up with less than that. I was doing decanting for people who clearly told me they wanted 3ml or less. At some point I messed up everything when I packed the samples. I guess I was in need of extra coffee that day. Whoever received less that 5ml, please let me know, since I do not remember. That way I will send the right size of decants to you right way. I will be more than happy to do that and fix my embarrassing mistake.
I think No. 18 has ambrette seed which my nose interprets as cumin-like and therefore, a no go.
You need to try ambrette seed essential oil…it is very nutty and musk like…I don’t detect cumin at all.
I’m wearing Escentric Molecule No. today. Although it contains ISO super E, it wears like a skin scent on me.
EM Molecule 1 is lovely. It’s one scent that gets me spontaneous compliments. It’s soft but really persistent. You smell marvelous!
Chanel No 5 l’eau from a teeny .005 ml sample Chanel sent to me. Very light scent dabbed – I remember when spraying the tester spray, the scent was more noticeable. Enjoy the day! ????
You smell great!
That is teeny tiny but you smell wonderful!
Thanks! The “bottle” is the size of a thimble!
Cute! But a little weird. Lol
ha! I’m still waiting for my Chanel samples that were supposedly shipped to me about 2 weeks ago per the Assistant Customer Service Manager, or some such meaningless title. Yep, I’m feeling snarky about it…
Hello Everyone! Happy Friday!
My SOTD is Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. The fragrance is just like its name; lovely. I sometimes like to use it as a body mist because its light. It literally goes well with any scent I own. I can’t believe it took me so long to discover this one. Hope everyone has a great weekend and a safe Memorial Day! 🙂
Hi Twin! We smell so nice…at least to ourselves! 😉
It’s Friday!
SOTD: Hermessence’s Santal Massoïa.
Seriously subtle stuff.
Just got back from a 2 weeks holiday from Kuala Lumpur. The trip was amazing and the weather was fantastic but something terrible happened on the second last day.
I was sitting with in the food court with my bag next to me and sipping a cup of Te Tarik (Malaysian milk tea. Great stuff.). You know how it is with places like these; crowded, people come and go constantly. Naturally, I stopped paying much attention to my surroundings and focused on my drink. By the time I was finished, I reached for my phone in my bag but wait..WHERE IS IT!?
I asked this nice lady sitting in the next table to dial my number but nope, the phone was disconnected. So I spent the whole afternoon going to the security office and watched some CCTV (more detailed on that later) and finally making a statement down in the police station and finally replacing my phone.
What I saw in the CCTV footage: This man, dressed in a black T-shirt and had on a pair of sunglasses, while pretending to shove the chairs away as he passed between the tables, skillfully reached into my bag and took my phone. He didn’t even stop walking in the process. The whole theft happened in around 2 seconds. It was just so frustrating while watching how the whole thing went down (I asked them to replay it 3 times I think. Strangely, it was like watching some youtube video rather than a personal event…)
Lesson to be learnt: Its better to keep your bag on your lap in a crowded place, even if it’s less comfortable. It’s so much safer to not install those phone-payment apps even when they seem so convenient. I thankfully did not have any of those apps so I didn’t have to worry too much about my account being hacked or money being stolen. But I did lose all the precious photos, chats and videos I took with my family and friends and have no way of retrieving them back (no they were not uploaded into the cloud because they were stored in a memory stick. Android phone problem! Ugh!) 🙁
Anyone planning on going on a trip, have fun and stay safe!
So sorry to hear that this happened to you! Thank you for sharing this as a cautionary tale – very timely with summer holidays coming up. I see so many people in DC who are careless with their phones on the Metro system and in restaurants.
Maybe you could write about your trip in a pretty notebook while it is fresh in your mind to relive the best moments and record them for the future? One psychological pitfall is that our memories tend to weight negative experiences more heavily than positive ones, so we need to make an effort to counter that.
It actually is a good idea to write down events in notebooks as reminders or just as stories to share or remember. It’s funny isn’t it, how when the painful memories actually teach us more, our minds tend to push them away.
So sorry! And I’m sure you won’t see it this way, but so glad he got your phone and not your whole bag, esp. if you had things in there you needed to get yourself back home.
I agree! I felt the same. It could’ve been so much worse if the whole bag was taken, wallet and all. I always keep my passport in the hotel room safe because that’s the “least useful” out and most important thing to get home. In my wallet will be some other sort of identification document so at least I will have something to show for if needed.
Ugh. So sorry. Professional pickpockets are the worst! It’s rough losing all those photos and memories. The downside of the digital age. I also have an android. I hope the rest of the trip was enjoyable and would love to hear more about it!
The rest of the trip was great and I enjoyed it a lot. Lots of good food and sightseeing (KLCC at night is breathtakingly beautiful!). 🙂
I just received the first English edition of Nez magazine, which I ordered from Luckyscent. Angela wrote about it in February:
https://nstperfume.com/2017/02/27/nez-la-revue-olfactive-magazine-review/#comments
It’s amazing! Angela has described it so much better than I could. I’ll only add that there are articles by Jean-Claude Ellena, Celine Ellena, and Denyse Beaulieu (Gran de Musc), as well as Angela and 19 others in this Spring/Summer 2017 edition.
Thanks for letting us know! I’m going to see how much it costs . . .
Well, the downside is that it’s $24, but it’s more like a soft-cover book than a magazine.
Thanks for the heads up! I didn’t know where to find it.
Thanks, that magazine sounds great!
Under the Radar Skin Scent SOTD = 28 La Pausa EDT (3 demure sprays)
My oil change service appointment got done very quickly (not complaining). I wore my rattiest pair of jeans and sneakers and perversely classed up the ensemble with diamond earrings (discreetly covered by my hair) and 28 La Pausa EDT. Normal dosage is 8 sprays and I dialed way back with 3. Guess what??? It is still a skin scent and I know it will not last very long; however, I noticed the leather more so with 3 sprays but could still not detect rose!
I’m looking forward to reading everyone else’s picks later as I have a few more errands to run today.
Jeans, sneakers, diamonds and Chanel- love it!
🙂
Twins! Using up the last of my sample and maybe 10 sample sprays? Still barely smell anything. What’s there is lovely but it may be completely gone by the time I finish this sentence.
Yikes! At least for me, 8 sprays last the whole day!
Chanel & diamonds + jeans & sneakers = totally my kind of outfit!
If I look hard enough, I could probably find a ratty shirt 🙂
Eeeks, I meant to ask this today too! I am going to a Memorial Day celebration tomorrow and will be bringing this Sangria:
http://www.hopsandgrapesonline.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=3119
Besides apples, oranges and a little bit of lemon (to prevent the pre-cut apples from browning), what else can I add to make it special? Bear suggested using frozen grapes in place of ice and jalapeno said strawberries! Anything else?
How about blueberries? It sounds red, white, and blue theme is called for.
Good idea about the blueberries!.
I’m allergic to raw apples so usually use plums, peaches, and whatever fresh berries are available. I’ve never used the base you are using, though, and generally use white or rosé wine with a splash of St. Germain or fruit liqueur.
Heh, using the base is just pure laziness on my part. i would also like to think it’s because $1 of evwry bottle sold is given to charity.
😉 I’m all for laziness in drink-making; especially for a summer holiday. Still, I highly recommend plums. They’re just fantastic in wine.
Also, that’s a pretty cool charity idea.
Agree with the plums and strawberries. Good luck!
I have today off. I am testing Kyoto on one wrist and Quarzazate on the other. Both are under the radar but I am particularly liking Quarzazate. I’ll be wearing Rahele later today, which was my original choice for today. Happy Friday all.
I was torn between those 2 and Jailsamer and ended up with Ouarzazate. I have to spray a lot to be able to smell it for a few hours on myself but others have noticed it. I haven’t had it that long but have gotten compliments on it everytime I’ve worn it! A rarity. I hope you enjoy your day off 🙂
Jaisalmer is my favorite of the three (of all the CdG Incense, really); don’t know why I don’t yet have a bottle……
Mine too!
I haven’t tried Jailsamer yet but onto the list it goes!
It’s heftier than the other 2, at least on me and smelled incensy than woody to me. If I ever finish Ouarzazate, my next would be Jailsamer.
I love Rahele. You’ll smell great all day!
I have a rapidly dwindling decant and contemplating a FB. It’s so pretty and easy to wear.
I tried it on last night for the first time and found it merely meh, which is surprising for NVC for me. I need to try it a few more times….
I didn’t think much at first and now love it, so maybe try again. It also needs more sprays for me than other NVPs.
I had the same experience as Amy. However, the second time I wore it, it smelled gorgeous. I was even complimented. I really think it depends on the weather, body temp, etc..
I’ve been trying to decide for years which of the Incense series I like the best! I think it’s down to a choice between Ourzazate and Jaisalmer, but I still haven’t committed 🙂
Kyoto gets the most press.
I’m wearing Cacharel Noa, a very pretty and subtle scent.
gorgeous fragrance…that one used to get me so many compliments.
I put that on the other eve after a shower and it was less subtle onme than usual. I could really smell it this time. You smell very pretty, indeed!
Maybe your sense of smell has improved? You’ve mentioned that you’ve had a preference for the quieter scents lately… Hmmm.
I received a sample of Juliette has a Gun’s Anyway recently – it’s billed as a “back to basics” scent, so I thought it would fit today’s theme. The reviews on Basenotes are SAVAGE, but I thought it was all right – I get citrus and musk, maybe a little neroli, though it’s not really a classic cologne scent. It does have a bit of sillage to it, but my skin tends to project everything far and wide.
Ack, I cannot remember it, but I will have to go look at the reviews!
I liked it, too. “Clean and fresh” without smelling like fabric softener or anything aquatic. Better longevity than I expected, as well. Not my usual sort of thing, but quite pleasant. I think the name and ad copy kind of invited savage reviews.
I’m wearing Atelier’s Grand Neroli, which in in terms of sillage isn’t very grand. I only have a sample (love Ateliers discovery set) so I dabbed. It might have more sillage when applied differently. It’s a very nice neroli.
Petite Neroli 😉
I had the same experience when applying Grand Neroli from a dabber sample. Beautiful, but extremely short-lived. Now that I have a sprayer bottle, the sillage is still modest, but much more noticeable.
I like that Hermes photo. Took me a sec to figure out what was going on in it.
SOTBirthday: Tauer L’Eau. I can’t quite decide if it’s under the radar. It’s soft and kind of lightweight powdery, but I can catch whiffs of it. I’m liking it actually and today seems the right temp for it. I think it would be to sweet/powdery in the heat.
I have today off -my employer gives us our bday off 🙂 – and my hubs is off, too. We’re going to pick up what he bought me from this huge antique wear house nearby. I have no idea what it is and the suspense is killing me! He’s always a thoughtful gift giver. Then on to the chore of finally getting our passports renewed.
Later we’ll celebrate at a steakhouse we’ve been wanting to try.
And, my Ormonde Jayne saga where I couldn’t get the website to work- I enlisted my sister to order for me from her desktop Mac and it worked just fine! I’ll be the very happy owner of 2 Champaca 8ml sprays- perfect amount!
Happy Friday to all!
What a great day – Happy Birthday! Glad you got the website to work. Can’t wait to hear what the present is.
Thanks LizzieB! And I’m glad the weather’s cooperating today. Enjoy this spring day!
Happy Birthday Elisa…enjoy your fragrant day!
Thank you Filomena!
Happy Birthday!???? A day off plus steaks sounds perfect! Report back on your gift!
Thanks madtowngirl! Will do.
So glad you are having a wonderful birthday! And yay for the Champaca, it’s soooo beautiful. Glad you were finally able to order!
Thanks KellyC! I do love Champaca. Can’t wait to be able to spray it.
Happy bday! Enjoy your day:)
Thank you Laura! Will do.
happy bday!!!!!
Thanks cm8 and reek on!
Happy Birthday! I wish you many more scented years to come. Enjoy your day and have fun!
Thank you perfumelover67! Your Tauer gift is helping me celebrate!
Happy Birthday, ElisaP! The suspens is killing me too! Travel plans?
Thanks haj! Hopefully will start planning something for July. Lots of options but undecided as of yet whether staying in the US or not.
Happy Birthday! That is great of your employer. I think it should be a law that nobody should work on their birthday.
Sounds like a great day ahead!
Thanks Gi! Ha! Agreed. They happen to be the most generous employer I’ve ever had.
Happy birthday Elisa! I hope you have a lovely day!
Thank you Petunia ????
Happy birthday! And enjoy your surprise gift!
Thanks jirish!
Happy birthday, Elisa P.! It sounds like your day holds many good things. ???? Can’t wait to hear about the surprise from your hubby!
Thanks Nancyleandros! Much to be grateful for.
So my surprise gift is a beautiful wooden antique sheet-music stand! I play the ukelele and when I need the music in front of me, I put the pages on my lap which is awkward and they fall off and I’ve been saying I should get a stand. So there you have it!
Aw, that’s such a great gift! Happy Birthday!
Thanks Holly! I think so too 🙂
What a thoughtful and lovely gift. Happy bday and enjoy your dinner! Congrats on the OJ acquisition – finally! 🙂
Happy birthday!!
Thanks Sebastian!
Happy birthday! Can’t wait to find out what he’s gotten you!
Thanks Koyel! See above re gift
Happy Birthday!
Thank you lillyjo!
That sounds like a great day. Happy Birthday!!
Thanks Creosote!
Happy Birthday Elisa P. !
Many more! !!
Many thanks, Bear!
Happy Birthday!
Thanks Gaynor!
Happy, happy birthday!
Thank you ScentSpirit!
Oh yay, happy birthday! and enjoy that music stand. 🙂
Thanks tiffanie! I will enjoy it. My neck will thank me, too.
I thought about wearing ACdD today. I’ve been curious to see how it wears in warm weather. Last summer I wore Phaedon Dzhari for a few glorious days until I ran out. It’s very similar to LADDM, so I’ve been holding off on wearing until the weather turned. It’s supposed to be borderline hot tomorrow so maybe I’ll give it a whirl. Ps your boss rocks!
I think ACdD will do well in the heat- but in the evening. I’m going to try it myself. My boss is ok, lol. It’s actually the facility “policy”.
Happy Birthday! and the Ukulele- an overlooked instrument and so unique. I’m having musical talent envy! kudos to you =)
Thanks Deva! Oh, I’m in no way musically gifted and I’m a slowww learner. I take lessons and actually practice-which has been the biggest surprise to me. But it is a fun instrument, not *that* hard and very portable. I recommend!
What an awesome-sounding b-day! Happy scenting, and many more!
Thanks Jalapeno! It was a nice, relaxing day.
Happy Birthday! Hope it’s a birthday weekend kind of celebration!
Unexpectedly complying with three sprays of Tauer Sotto la Luna. I didn’t expect a Tauer to be a skin scent, but it’s the quietest whisper of tuberose. *tap tap on my nose* Is this thing on?
🙂
Another Hermes person here. Monsieur Li!
Hey twin!
Today I am wearing Geisha Vanilla Hinoki Aroma M from the oil rollerball. It creates a gentle aura of comfort and serenity around me. It may not quite stick to the skin but is more like a transparent little bubble hovering around me.
And I can’t get any work done because I keep playing with my four adorable fluffy foster kittens! Boy do they eat (and poop)!
Here’s one of them: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94283635@N00/34889875695/
Oh man! That cuteness is gonna make me explode!
And you smell great! Great description, too. I’ve made a pretty good dent in my oil.
Cute. I want to squeeze him until the floof comes out!
Squee! As much as I enjoy my young adult cats and all the other critters, kittens always make my day.
Adorable!
You smell great! And thanks for fostering the kitties.
Awww, so cute!
Adorable little fluffball!!
Mariella Burani today: powdery aldehydes, citrus, quiet florals, musk, tonka and iris. Pretty. Of course it’s discontinued. 🙁
Gaze graduates high school tonight! It’s been a big week for us.
Holy crow! I had forgotten about Mariella Burani!!! yowza you smell good!!!
Did Gaze decide which college he is going to attend?
Enjoy the graduation ceremony 🙂
Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech — so he’ll be just down the road half an hour. But the CoC requires so many time commitments, especially the first semester, that I doubt I’ll even see him before Thanksgiving unless we suck it up, bite the bullet, and shell out big $ for tickets to the home football games.
There is the option for a “citizen leader” track along with the three ROTC options; he’ll be going Army ROTC (if that scholarship ever comes through 🙂 YIKES). Hasn’t decided yet whether he’s going to join the regimental band, which is an extra academic credit and an extra stipend but also extra time commitment… I admit that I just want to see him in the uniform, carrying his trombone.
Oh but that is EXCELLENT news!!! Congrats on that! And hope that scholarship comes through 🙂
Congratulations! Have a wonderful time!
OH! and Mariella Burani is just so good. My bottle’s half empty and I’ll miss it when it’s gone.
Don’t hoard it….just enjoy it :)….and yeah, why is it always the good ones that get discontinued?
Congratulations! This has been a big week! You should be so proud!
Congratulations! Enjoy!
Hope it is a lovely ceremony!
Congrats to you and Gaze!
I think you should get the “Mother of the Year” award! Congrats on all your chicks growing into amazing adults.
Congrats to Gaze and to you!
I sprayed some Naso di Raza Giuseppe this morning.
It starts with a super positive burst of orange blossom but it fades away within 30 minutes to a quiet, clean neroli with a soapy-musky tone. I still like it though.
I’m on a quest for the ultimate neroli. Any recommendations?
I just applied Dyptiques L’Eau de Neroli and Houbigant’s Orangers en Fleur…while the former is lovely the latter is phenomenal….also, have you ever tried Neroli essential oil? It is actually quite lovely and may satisfy your neroli fix.
I have tried both of them, along with many others. My fav thus far is AG Neroli. My quest is to find a substitute for the breathtakingly beautiful LAP Fleur d’Oranger.
Oh I just thought of another one which I bought for a younger family member for Christmas (cause I am coveting that empty bottle which is so pretty) Berdoues Grand Cru Vanira Moorea…it is neroli and vanilla and I also sense a bit of amber…it is so good…I may steal lots of spritzes of it over the summer….AND..the price is right…I think I paid around $55 at an online discounter last summer…
and the Houbigant is outstanding in the drydown….
I haven’t tried the AG yet…..
Try these:
Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli
Jacques Fath Green Water
Eau d’Italie Acqua Decima
Hermes Eau de Neroli Dore
Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger
Kilian Prelude to Love
Parfum d’Empire Azemour
Diptyque L’Eau de Neroli
to name just a few 😉
let me know if you’d want more 🙂
Thanks for the list! I’ve tried about half of these. Will have to hunt down those that are not readily available around me! ????
Guerlain Neroli Outrenoir!
I didn’t have a chance to smell it yet…
I have it! It’s a beautiful abstract neroli. I guess I’m looking for a pure neroli. ????
Laura, neroli/orange blossom is my favorite note! I never got the chance to try the L’Artisan so I have no comparisons to it, but AG’s Neroli is a huge favorite for me as well. I also love Hanbury, APOM, Arabian Oud’s Ghroob and Athalia is a definite contender although not a soliflore by any means. Many people love Dilettante and Seville a l’Aube, although I found both to be a bit murky and lacking in the bright radiant lift I want from an orange blossom/neroli perfume. Neil at The Black Narcissus blog has explored many perfumes in the genre, and perhaps one of them will fulfill your needs…
If you are looking for a pure neroli then I am going to suggest the sampler pack at Eden Botanicals. I will see if they still carry it and then attach a link.
Here you go-
http://www.edenbotanicals.com/products/sampler-packs/neroli-sampler-pack.html
If anyone is looking to explore a particular note I highly recommend their sampler packs.
This thread has made my day!!
My favorite OBs (so far) are Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom and Lorenzo Villoresi Dilmun. I don’t have a FB of either one yet, or I’d send you some. I haven’t tried APOM pour Femme yet, but I have a rollerball of the Elixir, which is lovely, but more of a light oriental than a springtime soliflore. (I have tried APOM pour Homme which was nice, but a little heavy on the cedar for me.) Making a note of the things other people have mentioned that I haven’t tried yet, as well.
Ugh…..been on the phone for 90 minutes with the cable company. Sotd is Galop, which I an enjoying very much.
Ugh… I dread making those calls. At least you smell nice.
Hi Twin..
I was on the phone for 1 hour wait with USPS..so we are really twins today
Chanel Cuir de Russie.
Happy Friday!
You smell gorgeous!
Sarah Horowitz Perfect Veil. It’s an Egyptian musk like perfume, with very subtle spice. I have so many fragrances, it’s silly how often I have worn this since January. For any who like Amazing Grace or the old Love’s Baby Soft, try Perfect Veil.
DSH’s Formula X is also very similar to Perfect Veil.
Yes! I have samples of that and the DSH Special Formula X extreme. Both are very nice. I have the Perfect Veil oil and EdP, and like them a tiny touch better. All are worthy of a skin musk seeker 😀
I may be posting an Amazing Grace mini in the freebiemeet for those who may want a cheaper alternative!
That’s a good one too! I recommend all the Graces…even Pure Grace which smells just like soap…so no one can complain about your perfume when you smell like you just stepped out of the shower 🙂
Demeter Pure Soap. I’m surprised no one mentioned wearing Demeter today!
Eau de Guerlain in this lovely late spring day. Yippee, the sun is out! Truth be told, I don’t believe I own any true skin scents.
EdG is close enough!
Wearing Tokyo Milk’s Sea and Sky, or the poor man’s Eau des Merveilles as I call it. It’s not a dupe, but it has that same “just got out of the ocean” feeling.
And love the name.
Dans Tes Bras for me today. Quietly lovely and I should really wear it more often
Same thought here. I agree; DtB is weirdly lovely and soft with its violets and mushrooms and musk. I need to wear mine tomorrow. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
I love DtB, but how weird am I–I’ve never found it weird!
Thank you for mentioning mushrooms–I can take something off my to-try list for a change.
May not be quite complying with the sync but I’m wearing Samsara Shine – Sandalwood , vanilla, Jasmine and a bit of fruit . I sprayed before bed so it’s sort of at skin scent level now. Poor thing has been discontinued as far as I know so it does sort of fall under the radar.
sounds like something I would love
I went with I Love Les Carottes, which austenfan reminded me of yesterday. I’ve tried a few of the Honore des Pres line, and they all seem to wear very softly on me.
I do wish they’d have done more! And wish I’d bought Chaman’s (something).
Since it was Hajusuuri’s “fault” I bought it, 😀 I went with philosophy’s fresh cream today.
You smell good enough to eat!
Started with my homemade Granville oil. Added a tiny spritz of my ll ylang sample, so overall a skin scent? Something that goes with the Sun and the office.
I am slightly peeved at wild animals this morning, turtles and rats not included because they are not my suspects. I had two strawberries almost ripe and the raspberry cane was 3 inches high with 8 or 9 leaves on it last night. This morning the strawberries have been eaten to the nubs and the raspberry is only a leafless stem. I have netted the strawberry patch and made a little chicken wire cage for the raspberries. Take that, raccoon or possum or rabbit!
Not being a huge fan of skin scents, I hovered over the cabinet this morning looking for something suitable. I decided on Narciso Rodriguez for Her, the pink one. I know there is something there but have to stick my nose down my shirt to smell it. Perfect for my movie-going afternoon, it’s the opening of the new Pirates of the Caribbean. Reviews are mostly savage and I hated the last one, but I am loyal to the characters from the original.
Happy Friday, all!
I hope your Friday gets better!
I know exactly how you feel about the fauna destroying your fruit. We have a beautiful plum tree that inevitably gets nibbled at by the squirrels in our neighborhood every single summer.
Yes there are lots of rabbits in my backyard, 2 opossums, and innumerable squirrels.
Love them all, so I’m NOT frustrating myself by attempting to grow fruits or vegetables.
Good luck foxbins!
Great suggestions, including Aftelier Bergamoss – wish I’d read before spraying. Went with Amouage Myths today. Thought it would be a skin scent, since some of the recents (Lilac Love, Bracken, Sunshine) have been quiet (albeit annoying). Myths is not quiet. Perhaps it’s my skin. Didn’t dare go with Jour de Hermes, one spray packs a wallop on me.
Yes, Myths is a pretty potent one!
Still going strong seven hours in, veering masculine.
I thought it was really masculine, almost more than I was comfortable with. I kept eyeing my samples and wondering if they were mislabeled.
I really struggled to think of a good skin scent for today because I tend to underspray and can make almost anything fly under the radar. Then I remembered Dame Chocolate Man. It’s so discreet and very nicely bitter but creamy.
yum yum yum…..are you wearing the oil or the EDT? both are good , in my opinion…I like to mix the oil with some lavender and patchouli essential oils…I get a cheaper version of Angel. You know his New Musk would be a good under the radar too.
I have a sample of the EDT but will probably cave and buy the oil. I actually considered wearing new musk this morning. Wonder how they would layer…
I have layered the New Musk with lots of other stuff (including is soliflores) so I think it would layer nicely with Chocolate Man!
oops! that would be “his soliflores” as in Mr. Dame!
I’m going as far under the radar as I can go, by digging out my sample of Les Nez L’Antimatière!
Nice pick! I wore L’Antimatière the other day but also used it to restore an used bag I bought from eBay. The bag smelled of laundry detergent (my guess is that it was kept with clothes that had that kind of smell) and sunning it for two days helped a lot, but then I sprayed its guts with L’Antimatière which did the trick. My husband, who claimed that the bag was made of plastic, after smelling it, concurred with me that it is leather.
Glad it worked! I bought a used bag on eBay that arrived reeking of Febreze, as if it had been soaked in the stuff. To get rid of the smell, I enclosed it in a giant Ziploc bag along with several custard cups filled with baking soda and let it sit for days. Then I emptied the cups and filled them with fresh baking soda and let it sit a while longer. Eventually most of the smell was gone.
Oh, smart idea! I’ll definitely have a chance to apply it (eBay is my favorite place to shop but I really dislike when things arrive smelling of air fresheners and detergents); thanks for sharing!
Good to know that something will lessen the smell of Febreeze and other odor blockers. I abhor that scent and can smell it a mile away. Still, I have to use the stuff occasionally to get animal odors out of my work clothes. Even the “unscented” enzymatic stuff we have at the office has that strange sour-tangy smell.
Wearing Au Thé Blanc, which is so quiet on me no matter how much I wear.
Yes, that one is perfect for under the radar!
Osmanthe Yunnan FTW!
Kind of a skin scent but I daresay I sprayed enough for others to smell me.
Happy Friday!
This is a light one on me too!
Happy Friday, NST!
My Under the Radar scent for today is Anna Sui Anna Sui. It has low-to-moderate sillage (depending on application) and a little bit of sweetness on top of the florals and powder, and I swear there’s some musk in the far drydown despite it not being listed among the notes.
Have a lovely weekend wherever you are (and Memorial Day, if you’re in the US)!!
I don’t recall smelling this at all. I looked at Fragrantica – looks like a mini kitchen sink of notes! Does it remind you of anything?
I think it was her first scent and from ca.1999., which is about when I first bought it. There’s no one scent in particular that I can point to it reminding me of. But I would describe it as if you took the rosy-fruity part of something like Nahema or Dame Desert Rose and and combined it with the powdery-tonka aspects of L’Heure Bleue. So it’s rosy/floral fruity, powdery, and a little sweet but light and not at all spicy.
Hi everyone,
I’m sorry I’ve been AWOL from here for quite awhile. I’ve been in divorce settlement land for the past couple months. The lawyer fees are so outlandish that I was afraid if I came onto this page I would be tempted to buy perfume which I can’t pay for right now. I have moved out of the house and brought with me just a little family of perfumes that cheer me up and don’t take up too much space on the shelf. My halfway house collection is made up of: Yves Rocher Neroli, Costume National 21, Ormonde Jayne Woman, Sideris and Trayee, plus Mysore sandalwood oil and Jasmine absolute oil. I divided my total collection into two boxes: one with bottles to keep and one with bottles to give away, so I’m looking forward to sending out some beauties when the freebie meet comes around. I will probably need to ask people to pay the postage on freebies because I’m really strapped right now.
I was thinking about the FM Outrageous! comments further up the thread and wondering how many “island of misfit toys” perfumes have been just continuously circulated between people on NST.
ps When the divorce is finalized I think I will come down to NYC and just sniff my way around the city. There are so many perfumes that I would love to smell/try but they are not in the stores up here. Has anyone tried Chypre Mousse?
You have to let us know when you’re in the Big Apple. Chypre Mousse is earthy mushroomy roasted chestnut goodness, if you are into that kind of thing. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I think it was the first split I hosted.
Good to see you and hope things settle down for you soon. I think a trip to NYC is the perfect treat for yourself, and echoing hajusuuri, would love tp go sniffing with you!
Chypre Mousse is very mushroomy. Maybe the earthiest scent I’ve tried.
Nice to see you back!
Chypre Mousse is potent (even to me!). I would concur it has an earthy mushroom smell…first time I wore it a younger family member commented on my “hippie scent”.
Sending you warm thoughts and wishing you the best Sajini. New York is always waiting for you!
Sajini, I understand the difficult transition you’re going through and I’m so glad to see you here. Big hug to you, and sending positive vibes and prayers for hope, strength and serenity.
Good wishes to you, Sajini; that NYC trip sounds like the way to go!
Good to see you, Sajini. Best wishes for getting things sorted now–and coming through on the other side to enjoy a sniffing trip.
Nice to see you Sajini. Do what you need to for right now… and a sniffing trip to NYC is a wonderful goal for the future.
My best wishes to you, Sajini <3 hope that trip to NYC works out soon!
4 spritzes of L’Envol today. People always say they can’t smell anything no matter how much I apply.
That’s a beauty
I love the spicy dry down of that one.
I’m in Aucland this week, reading the correspondence of two extraordinary botanists Lucy Cranwell and Lucy Moore, dating from the 1930 s to 1980s. They were known as ‘The Two Lucys’…one ended up in Arizona where she studied pollen and the other became a seaweed expert. They did some great trips together in the mid thirties..to Europe via ‘Ceylon’ and the Middle East.
One of the things I always notice about Auckland is how light the mornings are. The sun rises almost 50 minutes earlier than in Dunedin.
Wearing Hermessence Paprika Basil , a wonderful gift from Dr W. Dragon. I love it. It has an oily smokiness that seems to blend smoked paprika with clove, backed up by a smell like palm leaves. I hadn’t heard of this one before. Quiet. Wondering if it has an Le Jardin Apres Le Monsoun vibe? Gosh, it’s beautiful. The two lucys might approve.
What a great gift; Paprika Brasil is wonderful! The two lucys also sound very interesting and I can imagine it should be really nice to do that research!
I like it much better than I thought I would…but that’s partly because I misread the name as Paprika Basil which struck me as an odd combination
I want to re-read Triste Tropique while wearing Paprika Brasil; wouldn’t that be a fun?
I haven’t read it . The book match I thought of is Alejo Carpentier’s The Lost Steps
Participating in the project with Penhaligon’s Amaranthine.
You smelled lovely! Amaranthine, for me, is very quiet and short-lived in cool weather, and much more fun on a hot day.
I have so much NST to catch up on! I’m still reading posts from a few weeks ago when I was on holiday and out of my usual routine, now I’m two weeks into a 4 month secondment, and the new job is very busy. Things will settle down I hope, the whole organisation is new and we’re all finding our way.
I haven’t even thought about the project and am planning to do my Saturday morning housework in a cloud of Mad Madame – not exactly quiet 🙂
Gaynor, if you get a minute, could you share your impressions of Fetes Persannes (maybe not the right spelling) with me/us? Only, I have loved its description since forever, and I’m going to Fumerie, which stocks it. I recall that you said it was an unplanned purchase for you, and I’d love to know your thoughts about it. I’m thinking it must be super in some particular way for you to have bought it on the spot, as it were.
It’s the kind of sweet rich scent that appeals to me. I had hopes for it from the descriptions I’d read, and my hopes were fulfilled. I’m hopeless at describing perfumes in a way that would make sense to anyone else, the positive reviews on Fragrantica describe it well, although I can’t see the link with Angel someone mentions.
I can pop a little sample into the mail.
You’re a darling, but I might not get it before I leave, so please don’t worry. I hoped you would say pretty much what you did: you have confirmed my prejudices in favour of it. I’ll give it serious sniffing time at Fumerie in a couple of weeks. Ooooh! We leave a week tomorrow! Oh! So much to do before then!
Morning, all. I’m late today. I’ve been sleeping long and heavily since that beastly migraine, but I feel all the better for it. Today I’m wearing Bill Blass Nude, a pretty, gentle perfume that gives every indication that it sees itself as a skin scent. I had other plans for it, however, and right now it’s asserting its personality really quite forcefully. This is one that gets active approval from the dear man: “You smell like a bouquet in a bakery,” he said approvingly. I don’t smell remotely like that, of course, but he looked so happy! He had the same expression on his face that he gets when he realises there’s custard to be had. In his universe, custard is its own food group. Simple pleasures….
Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes.. I got so busy clearing my “To Do” list yesterday that I didn’t get back to NST until late in our day, and all of you in TOH would have been asleep. Deva, if you read this, I couldn’t be happier that you have adopted “to pootle” (I sometimes wonder if it should be an irregular verb). My mother told me I started saying it when I was quite small because I loved my “pooters” (my gumboots) very much. Apparently I would have worn them to bed if I could have got away with it. Anyway, pootling evolved from living life in pooters. Totally logical etymology, when you think about it.
Be well, all.
I really enjoyed reading this and now I’ll be pootling along. ????
Your posts make me happy.
Happy belated birthday! Hope it wasn’t completely ruined by the migraine.
Custard as a food group! I could get with that program. 🙂 I too greatly enjoy your posts! Thanks for coming here…
Reading with interest, since a good friend just told me that perfume makes him nauseous. Sigh. (Sampling my way through Frederic Malles with wildly varying sillage–my husband told me that “They all have that thing–that thing that goes up in your nose.” L’Eau d’Hiver, you monster!)
Ha! So that means he likes them?
Unfortunately, no.
SOTD = JHAG’s Not A Perfume. A bit literal, perhaps, but it works for me. 🙂
A quick PSA to folks here: if you suddenly have a foreign or domestic credit card transaction declined, IMMEDIATELY call your credit card issuer. That is how I found out there were several unauthorized charges on my account. It was taken care of by a very friendly and informative customer service rep. But now I will have to keep an eye on that in case more funny business shows up.
That’s good advice, jalapeño! If I am expecting a largish international charge, I call the credit card company ahead of time. I once had a FM purchase rejected. When I got home, I called the credit card company and the CSR gave a stupid answer as to why my card was declined – I used the card outside of my home zip code. Huh?
One time my credit union called me up on my cell phone and asked, Did you just use you debit card to make a purchase for $180 something, at a Krogers in Savannah, Georgia?
I was sitting at my dining room table in the woods in Michigan at time! They asked if they could call my landline to verify, and when that was accomplished, they took those bogus charges off, and sent me a new debit card.
I have started calling them before I take a trip, just so they don’t get carried away with that, since they called me once when I was at my sister’s house in Wyoming to check on a big lunch tab.
On one level it is sort of nice, but on another level, Big brother is watching. I don’t mind this so much since it is my little local credit union. If Chase started doing that, I would be a little freaked out. Come to think of it, maybe that is why I’ve stopped using my Chase card….
It is a little freaky… My CC company emailed to tell me that I didn’t need to call and notify them that I’d be traveling, because they’d already noted the charge for the airline ticket…
I would call anyway. The one time I did not, my card was declined at the start of a trip (Copenhagen, home of Ecco, which meant I cannot not shop). Thank God for other cards but I spent 20 minutes with the credit card company listing every country that was part of the cruise itinerary and of course, I found out later on that the first Customer Service Rep yessed me to death but did not record anything and I had to repeat the itinerary again!
O_O
Oh my gosh, so many comments today. I’ll have to read them later when I’m home from work (I’m in PST).
I’m participating in the project with Aftelier Parfum de Maroc parfum. It’s not exactly a skin scent but is one with low sillage. It is no longer offered for sale except as a custom order in her Perfumes Past section. Notes listed are saffron, galangal, Turkish rose, nutmeg, cardamom, and myrrh. It’s soft and spicy, and when I reapply after work, I’ll finish off my sample.
It sounds very pretty.
Hi, lurker crawling out of the internet cellar here. My “close to me” scent is Philosophy Fresh Cream. I work as a flight attendant and don’t wish to offend any customers who are not fragrance enthusiasts.
Hello and welcome!
Welcome! Philosophy Fresh Cream is definitely under the radar!
Welcome! You smell wonderful.
Hello!
Welcome aboard 😉
Hello! Nice to ‘meet’ you!
Welcome. You smell great!
That’s a nice one!
I am old enough to remember when flight attendants routinely left trails of scent behind them when they stalked the aisles. A better world in some ways, although I never encountered anyone wearing Giorgio on a plane.
I’m old enough to remember smoking and non-smoking sections in planes. In hindsight, this is a classic “What Were They Thinking?” topic.
Hello! Happy to find a scent twin for the day!
Late to the party and I had a hard time deciding between two favorites-
Barbra Bui or L’ air de rien. Went with the Miller Harris L’air de rien. Yum, I have an old bottle, any truth to the rumor that this has been reformulated?
Welcome. You smell great!
Late as usual. I actually fell asleep on the couch this evening with my tablet on my lap before I could post. Anyway: SOTD was House of Matriarch Orca, which is long gone now. There’s a bit of something harsh and woody at the beginning when sprayed, but it quiets down quickly into a light, salty amber. It’s one of those perfumes you think is gone when you sniff your arm, but then notice gently wafting around you. So possibly the opposite of a skin scent, now that I think about it. (In my defense, I have slept very poorly all week.) It has pretty good longevity for a “natural” perfume at 5–6 hours. I also thought about L’Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons, too, because it gets very quiet after the first hour, but is still delightfully present on one’s skin. Should have gone with my first thought, I guess.
Hope you can unwind and get some rest this weekend!