Happy Almost-Friday, happy Beer Day Britain (everyone else will have to wait for International Beer Day in August) and happy Global Wind Day! What fragrance are you wearing?
I am wearing the slightly oddball Kenzo Air.
Reminder: 6/16 will be Oddball Friday...wear a fragrance that smells like nothing else you own, or interpret oddball in some other oddball way. Suggested by Austenfan.
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: image is Amelia Rami for Kenzo, Spring 2017.
Another beautiful day
SOTD Songes, second day in a row
Looks like it might end up beautiful here too, too soon to tell. It’s cooler, anyway.
I don’t mind the cooler..
Lovestosmellgood, it is you who plays Bob Marley for your babies, right?
Yes! I do!
He is my instant mood pick me up, for me and the babies
Can you email me at luanne dawt teall at gmail dawt com? I have something for the babies so I need your snail mail address.
sure
Last night tested Prada Fleur D”Oranger and MDCI Nuit Andalouse
This morning wearing Dune (like), Sheisedo Feminite du Bois (cumin BOMB on my skin) Daim Blond, Mythique and Rubj perfume. Happy to report that I won’t be needing any full bottles.
later will test Piguet Gardenia, Luctor et Emergo and Dirty Flower Factory.
Keep calm and reek on, folks!
money saved!
exactly!
Ok, the Mythique in particular I would think would disappear in so much reeking! It might be worth trying on its own, unless you just aren’t looking for such a thing.
I spaced things out all over my body…but yeah, the FdB which is in the crook of my left arm is potent and my skin seems to really be amping the cumin (if there even is cumin in this one?..even if there isn’t this is ALL I am smelling!)
How did you like the Prada Fleur d’Oranger?
The onset was very strong but the drydown was lovely….soft and diffuse.
Mmm, Dune is one of my all-time favorites.
it really is lovely…I am wondering why this is the first time I am trying it.
Are you sure it’s not the Rubj that is the cumin bomb?
To my nose FdB is sweaty cedar but Rubj is true cumin!
Rubj was all fruity BO on me! Too sweaty for my taste.
Nope….they are on opposite ends of my tiny body! The FdB is in the crook of my left arm (still going strong on the cumin and for the life of me don’t know why as cumin is NOT listed as a note on fragrantica although a few commenters mentioned it)..Rubj is in the crook of my right arm…I smell a faintness of fruit right now…..but no cumin…..
and holy cow- cumin is listed as a note in the Rubj on fragrantica!!!
I find Rubj to be very cuminy! Cuminous?
Given that my skin usually amps up cumin it doesn’t seem to be too cuminous to me…but then again it has massively faded as my skin also eats perfume.
I’m in Chypre Rouge, the first Lutens I ever bought and still the weirdest (even more so than the polarizing Miel de Bois, which I almost wore): Maynard’s Wine Gums, pine needles dunked in honey, and little curlicues of things like flowers, wood smoke, and wood. There is nothing else like it.
I really like Chypre Rouge! I wear it a lot in winter, and enjoy it especially on days when I want to evoke a sense of being wrapped up against the cold. Do you get a teeny-tiny bit of celery in there? Or maybe angelica?
I don’t get celery (the only celery note I ever really got strongly was from 1980s Fragonard Vetyver, so strange and now surely reformulated into pure boringness), but it would not surprise me at all: Chypre Rouge seems to have dozens or hundreds of things in it that whirl past you at the very edge of perceptibility. Sometimes the smoke component makes me think of barbecue! Sometimes I smell cough syrup, and other times Coca-Cola syrup! It’s like a Rorschach test applied to your skin.
I’ve decided to be your scent twin today! I get Red Hots, maple syrup, dark forest, celery (or maybe fennel, I can’t tell), and smoke.
An excellent oddball choice.
Oh my that sounds fantastic!
Mayfly, I really like it. It’s definitely weird, and not very popular amongst the Lutens line, but it’s one that I end up wearing fairly consistently.
My SOTD isn’t way out there but it’s kind of an oddball: wearing ELDO You or Someone Like You. I love the mintiness.
Robin, Kenzo Air is a great choice! A lovely perfumista gifted me a partial bottle. It’s odd and delightful.
Yes it is! And you smell odd and delightful too
You or Someone Like You is fun in warm weather! I call it a gin & tonic scent (even if it doesn’t have any of those notes) — it has the same refreshing feel of a G&T to me.
I see why you say that. It has a refreshing quality to it like a g&t!
Do either of you think it is a little reminiscent of Tommy? But with way more mint?
I’m actually not familiar with Tommy, so I couldn’t say! (Apparently I spent the ’90s in a Skinner box?)
Ha! Perfume wise I did. And anything I smelled I hated–in the 80s and 90s both.
Oh dear. I had to look up what is a “Skinner Box.”
Okay. Now I know!!!
Tommy is not worth a major hunt, but if you are in dept store, it might be worth sniffing–just for comparison’s sake.
Oh, interesting connection, and it would make sense.
Monsieur Worth, basil, rosemary, eucalyptus, bergamot, cedarwood, oakmoss, musk.
Old school cologne.
Clothing: Levis 33 waist, white/turquoise/cobalt striped shirt, 2 sizes too big, comfy !
Cinnamon and sugary,
With softly spoken lies,
We never know just how we
Through other people’s eyes.
Poll : my friends all wear sausage casing (what I say to them, LOLOLOL) shirts to show off their bodies. I wear clothes for comfort and the flowing fabric looks and feels good to me.
Do I look sloppy?
All opinions welcome, I will NOT feel insulted.
Triple strength coffee.
Carpe Diem. Peace.
we look
I previewed this TOO!
Ghost in the Machine! !!!
Bigger question: do you care if you look sloppy?
I don’t care if others think I look sloppy because I don’t think I do, and my opinion is the only one that matters.
I’m just curious about perception.
No, you don’t look sloppy. You look modern without trying too hard. Tight tops are so passé anyway. Also, it all a question of style and attitude and how you wear your clothes. I bet you look great the way you are.
I am a fan of flowing fabric..in fact that is most of my wardrobe and I think it looks good on both men and women. Its better to be unique Bear, stick to your own style…
Count me in the let it flow camp. But I’m also in the “less flesh please” camp. ????
I don’t think you will ever look sloppy as long as the cut and colour are right for you, and I’m sure they are. Oversize is a decided “look” and it can be very cool, especially since it’s not about obvious display.
I like loose clothing too, I’d much rather see that than sausage-casings.
I’ve never tried Monsieur Worth, but the list of notes is very appealing. I think eucalyptus is not used often enough in perfumery.
As for clothes, I don’t think flowing, loose clothes make people look sloppy. Tight shirts are just a trend. And I like flowing, soft fabrics myself. (Although today I bought a rather close fitting dress, which however, is still casual and feels comfortable.)
I join the club of loose clothes. Comfort for me comes first and I am sure you wear them with class and style and you look good. Keep it that way!
People who look uncomfortable are not sexy to me. This goes for shoes, hairstyles, undergarments, tight or ill-fitting clothes, and whatever else might make a person look less then fully at ease. Of course it’s very easy to stray too far into the realm of comfort (it is NOT OK to wear your pajamas and/or slippers out in public people!), but if you feel good, you’ll look good.
I am with you on that Luna..lounge wear (pj’s etc etc) belong in the house or apartment…
Luna, have you tried Byredo Bibliotheque ? It didn’t even seem remotely library-like to me, but I can send a bit of my sample to you and see if it speaks to you. From one librarian to another.
I have not tried it but it I would love to! I will consider it a professional development opportunity. I can send you an email with my mailing address, or you can reach me at my user name plus 428 at the gee mail. Yay!
Totally agree! If you feel uncomfortable then you look uncomfortable, usually. I personally don’t think that’s a good look.
I am guilty of having accidentally worn pajamas to classes in college. In my defense, that only happened after I pulled all-nighters.
Flowing fabrics and ‘oversize look’ are fine as long as they are not of poor quality.
Cheap thin fabric and poor fit can make anyone look like a scarecrow or a garbage bag on legs.
Hmm this sounds snobbish, it probably is…I dont care. I’d rather invest in one good quality piece than buy 10 cheapies at H&M or Primark.
I enjoy both tight and flow with regard to clothing….I am seriously considering going to a strict uniform format for work (button down shirt in five colors and slacks in five colors) to make my life easier and then comfort yoga type clothes for the weekend. I think you are fine with flow and loose and if you feel good in it that is all that matters…..
And actually , Bear, tight jeans with a loose shirt is a very sexy look for a man…I say you look great
I like looser clothing – there’s something intriguing about a little mystery. With sausage casing clothes, it feels like there’s no barrier between me and the other person, and I usually want there to be!
I dress for comfort as well and am not a fan of things that are too tight. You will look sloppy if your clothes are wrinkled, WAY too big, or your whole outfit is too big (super big shirt and pants). I think you are fine. What is most important is that you feel comfortable.
Bear, your outfit, your perfume, and your song of the morning all sound perfect for summer.
I hear you on the sausage casing thing, but I guess it’s a look. I’ll be the voice of dissent and say that oversized clothes might look sloppy
It’s all about wearing the cut that’s most flattering on you, and for men, particularly about the right tailoring. IME, most men wear clothes that are really unflattering, but that’s probably because there’s a lot of that out there. You can probably find clothes that are well-cut, flattering and comfortable but it takes a lot of looking. (I buy all my husband’s clothes and his mother recently thanked me for doing so LOL. 
)
I wear both tight and loose clothing. Today I’m in a flowing maxi dress. I don’t care much for tight shirts on men. I think it’s more important that clothes are clean, and are actually clothes, not pajamas. Working with the public, I see way to much bedtime attire out there.
I love maxi dresses. They’re so fun to wear and I love how they create a breeze when you walk.
Bear, I’m with you in the comfort zone. I think loose & flowing would only look sloppy if everything you wear if oversized. For instance, a loose and flowing top always looks fine with tailored pants or slim-legged jeans. If your jeans are 2 sized too big as well as your shirt, then it would look sloppy. It’s all about proportion.
Monseuir Worth sounds like a class act. ????
I would go for loose/comfy over the sausage look. Many who think they look good with the sausage look to flaunt their assets have not looked at themselves in a360 degree no distortions mirror.
Ha! You asked for it and you got it. I love it when NSTers inner bossiness comes out. I loathe the sausage in casing look and am just glad that I don’t have children as I would not be able to keep my mouth shut. I also hate how naked everyone likes to be all the time (“hey you half dressed kids, get off of my lawn”), although I am glad to see that sleeves have made a bit of a comeback. For me, as for others, it’s about comfort, but then also about proportions. Loose everywhere can look sloppy, although I’ll take that over naked and tight where there is clothing any day.
You, I feel confident, look great.
haha yes isnt it great, NST on clothing is like ‘whoop whoop’ the sound of the Fashion Police!
Yes, like you, I hate half naked people.
Oh and…
“Dress for the body you have, not for the body you want”
Amen.
As long as you leave the first three buttons open and pull the whole look together with a gold medallion you’ll be ok.
Don’t forget the crotch sock!
No jewelry, my Italian relatives despair.
LOL.
Not really, but I can’t resist a joke.
Ha!
????
It’s about proportion. Loose shirts with a more fitted bottom can look very well dressed. But if someone is a size Medium and they are wearing 3X shirts, that doesn’t work, IMO. Not a fan of the “Sausage casing” look, though… if I can tell what kind of underwear someone has on, that is not a good time for me!
I am revelling in Iris Ganache after scoring a PB on FB.
So excited today as a 3 year old greyhound is coming over for a play date with my 2 greys tonight, and if all goes well, he will join my little pack of silly boys. Ollie ( in my Gravatar) needs a friend to play with – hopefully, we will find him tonight.
We’re going to need some pictures, hannahmom! (I love greyhounds so much- frequently fantasize about my vicious cat tolerating one.)
Oh, I hope it all goes well
Ollie is a cutie!!
How exciting! I hope it all goes well.
Good luck and have fun! (Seconding the request for pictures!! )
How exciting!
Partial Bottle on Face Book? (are we shopping on facebook now? if so, I might need some tips
)
Yes – there are several groups that do swaps and sales in addition to discussions or even as their primary focus.
Facebook Fragrance Friends, International Fragrance Splits, Eau My Soul, Looking, Feeling, Smelling Great etc.
I have a grey of my own, too! Sure wish I had the space for three, though.
In Arielle Shoshana Eau de Parfume. I received my sample yesterday and the opening is really fabulous, but when it comes to the drydown something does not work for me. I sometimes have issues with sandalwood, so I wonder if that is the reason. I will keep trying it, because the passion fruit note is terrific!
Twins!
I hope it grows on you! It sounds wonderful.
I have a hard time with sandalwood, too. It’s often too sweet for me.
I’m wearing Serge Lutens A la nuit !!
So nice!!!
jasmine twins..white floral twins …you smell great
You smell good!
You smell great, and your avatar is awesome!
Yum! Your kitty cat is so pretty! (And by that, I do mean your avatar
)
SOTD Shams Narcissus from Memo. Lots of oud in it and I think I might like it more in the fall.
I don’t know bow I do it but I found an unused, new in box Y by YSL EdT, in a 75ml bottle. I say unused because my first spray required several presses.
I’ll probably never know what Y originally smelled like but the top notes smelled barely off, if at all. The kicker? It has a price tag from an old department store from Houston that has gone the way pf the dodo. All very cool. I smell wonderful today!
Nice, congrats!
Thank you!
That’s one thing I love about buying vintage fragrances – finding old price tags, signs of the former owner, thinking about who wore it and when, what was going on in the world at the time…
What do you think of Y? I have almost all of the classic YSL frags except that one. I’m chypre-shy so I’ve held off on finding a bottle (mini, most likely.) His old stuff was so good – Paris, Opium, Rive Gauche – and the newer stuff, too – Baby Doll (which I realized too late I should have worn during Fruit week) and Cinema.
I have Y to spare if you’d like a sample
I might have to take you up on that…
I love Cinema. I actually looked for a bottle on discounters not long ago to see if it can still be found!
It’s still easy to find! I bought some about a year ago.
I love Cinema. I definitely need some backup bottles. They’re still out there, unlike my love, Nu….
If your Platonic ideal of a chypre is Miss Dior, Y is like a breath of fresh air. Still old fashioned but easy.
I hadn’t even heard of the department store it came from but it sent me on a wild Google hunt. So interesting. I’m sad that it went so unloved but I’m happy to have it.
Very cool!
Thanks!
Good for you! I adore Y and bought a couple of back-ups when it was still cheap at the discounters. Even the newer versions are great.
It’s so comfortable. I love it.
Yep. I’ve only worn it in warm weather – have you ever worn it in fall or winter?
Not from a bottle this well preserved but I’ll report back. Though my winter in Houston is a farce.
Very cool!
Right? Thank you!
My area is celebrating Global Wind Day by forecasting 35mph “breezes” that could cause power outages. Hmm. Mother Nature, that’s a little too much celebrating! SOTD is Vol de Nuit in extrait form – love love love.
Oh, one of my favorite Guerlains! I should go find some, since I haven’t had any in years.
Hunker down and waft on!
My HG!
Hello, everyone. Yesterday was just lovely: perfect weather, and a relaxing day mooching around here and there. In the evening we listened to a band in Union Square, and I felt like a teenager again. Well, maybe not a teenager, but young and free of responsibilities. Today looks as though the weather will be just as good, and we think we will take the ferry to Sausalito and have a picnic. Or something. Whatever we do, it will be fun.
I’m wearing another of my Fumerie purchases: Assam of India. It’s a lovely match for the season and the mood of the day, and a nice thing about it is the discovery that I can enjoy tea in a scent. I’ve never liked green tea, not to drink and not to wear, but black tea makes a great base for a refreshing spritz. And speaking of Fumerie, and Berdoues, come to that, I have to add another to my list of ones that got away: I wish I had bought Selva do Brazil. It’s a perfect hit ofgreen cologne: I tossed up between it and Assam, and the elephants proved too beguiling. With Ashoka, Selva makes two definite buys for my next trip: roll on June’s end 2018 ( sighs happily).
Keep safe, and be well, all.
Sausalito is fab..Tiburon was also a fav of mine when I lived in SF. Enjoy
Agree that sitting on one of the restaurant decks in Tiburon is wonderful.
Will you make it to Tiger Lily in The Mission? If so, stop by Tartine bakery.
Waterdragon, have you seen a hummingbird yet? IIRC, it was on your bucket list. I don’t get a chance to check NST every day, so perhaps I missed a report about it?
No! We hoped, Foxbins and I, that one would come and hum around the feeder in her backyard, but there it wasn’t. Next year, maybe, or perhaps the one I saw at Yosemite all those years ago is to be my one experience. My four trips to the States have given me one hummingbird, one wolf, one eagle, two bears, three moose, a distant coyote (does it count, I wonder?) and several thousand bison. Oh, and CHIPMUNKS! They are adorable! But going back to hummingbirds, well, the trip’s not over till it’s over. Maybe today?
Come visit my office in Texas
I have a mated pair of black-chinned hummingbirds that feed outside my window multiple times a day. When work is being nasty, it’s nice to be able to watch them (and wonder where they’re hiding their nest!).
Oh wow, that is so cool! I don’t know how you can get any work done!
Very cool!
Texas! A nephew lives there, a nephew who is so like my father that it almost hurts to look at him…maybe we should build Te as I yo our next trip.
That’s so wonderful!
Yes, maybe today! If you have not already done so, you might want to listen to recordings of three types of Anna’s Hummingbird (ANHU) vocalizations: song, calls, and tail chirp. The ANHU is one of the most common hummingbirds in California (not common in appearance
) You might overhear one as you are relaxing and “mooching around.” 
Brief video about the male’s tail chirp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_2JFK-tnnE
Song and calls: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Annas_Hummingbird/sounds
Keep having fun!
All the best,
Kindcrow, Bird Nerd
Kindcrow beat me to that recommendation. The hum of hummingbirds’ wings is very distinctive and LOUD. If you know that sound and are in a reasonably quiet area, you will know if they are around. Also, wear a bright red shirt if you have one on hand. Hummingbirds are so bold and will find you!
I meant to add that your animal sightings on your trips to the U.S. are very cool (I’m into all animals, not just birds,
). My husband and I have become a bit obsessed with moose, lately. We saw wolves for the first time last year. Ain’t nature grand?
I think we are too, obsessed with animals I mean. We even chat to people’s dogs and cats if they aren’t scared of us. They’re part of life that is easy to respond to and repays more than we put in.
I think the grammar in that last sentence got into a fearful pickle, but you will see what I mean.
Well said!
At a party, if the host has a friendly dog or cat, you will find us holed up in the corner with it
kindcrow…wait, is that not what you’re SUPPOSED to do at a party??
I only recently saw my first chipmunk IRL. They are adorable! (Lots of hummingbirds where I live as well, but the ones I’ve been seeing lately are dull-colored rather than the usual neon-colored variety.)
Odd thing: I live in an old, residential neighborhood (no undeveloped “nature” areas for many miles from here) and see eagles all the time. There must be a family/flock that settled in the area. At least one lives in a tree on my block. It’s pretty cool to see them soaring right overhead. I’ve only ever seen them way out in the country, so it’s a bit odd that they’re in a somewhat urban environment, no?
I love love love chipmunks.
Kpaint, actually it is not all that strange that you are seeing eagles in your neighborhood. They are more adaptable to human areas than most people think… a bunch of them nest at a former Army base in the Denver metro area. It’s called The National Eagle Repository:
https://www.fws.gov/eaglerepository/
As a huge fan of the line, I say also get Selvo de Brazil…I have such bottle porn for the entire line (I also bought Assam blind because of the elephants) but I must say the juices are nice and well done and perfect for summer…all of them! Did you try Scorsa di Sicilia? That is a beautiful summer vetiver and I don’t even gravitate towards vetiver!
No, I didn’t try that one. My nose was getting muddled by then, and I kept going back to Ashoka. Neck trip…next trip! Watch me be all adventurous next trip.
These are the two that I want to have to go with my Assam! Can’t decide which though and so keep getting neither. Terrible problems I have.
Wait until someone has a sale and then buy one at a time…so many online places are selling the Berdoues now and with 20 percent off you can get them practically for free. I think Scorsa would be perfect for a very hot summer while Selvo would work nice year round.
That would be “some place” not “someone”
Enabler pin for you cm8! Beautyhabit sale today just got taken advantage of!
Horray for another enabler pin! Even at full price the Berdoues are very reasonable so with a sale they are practically free! which one did you get?
Oh, I do hope you get to see one on your trip! Keep your eyes open around red and pink tubular flowers – those are their favorites! And they do make a chipping sound often. I’m several hours south of you in San Diego and just saw one whiz past my front door. I just refilled our hummingbird feeder and one almost ran right into me as I was hanging it up!
It’s so interesting what is exotic to people from other places. Many US west coast folks haven’t seen fireflies (I’m from the east coast) – my San Diegan husband sat outside for hours every night when he first visited the east coast. I do admit I miss them terribly – hopefully get to go back for a visit at the right time next year!
I only saw fireflies recently, too! (left-coaster) Like your husband, I was mesmerized by them
We get lots of fireflies here in late summer. They often escspe into our apt which is always slightly disconcerting but the cats love them.
HA! What a great cat toy! They must go crazy.
I was thinking the same thing, before I read your post. I don’t really travel, and it never occurred to me that chipmunks and fireflies wouldn’t be all over the country. I am very aware and grateful however, that I don’t have snakes and alligators to worry about. Well every now and again a garden snake…. But still.
I had a friend in college from Guam and we were walking around and she asked me if that was a duck! A duck! She had never seen one. So everything is exotic to somebody!
I remember seeing fireflies growing up in Oklahoma, but here in Texas (SE Texas anyway), we don’t seem to have them.
I went to look it up as I had heard they were only east of the Mississippi – which is mostly right but nobody knows why! Nature is fascinating.
“Fireflies love humid, warm environments. In the U.S., almost no species of fireflies are found west of Kansas—although there are also warm and humid areas to the west. Nobody is sure why this is. There are many species of fireflies throughout the world, and the most diversity in species is found in tropical Asia as well as Central and South America.”
We have them in Central Texas and the number in my yard seems to increase the more native plants I put in (and the more I let them rum amok).
I’m glad you’re enjoying your trip, and regret that I didn’t get to see you when your were in Portland! I haven’t been posting much lately, just catching up at odd times.
I lived in the Bay Area for a while, and taking the ferry to Sausalito was one of my favorite things! You should do it.
Fumerie is great, isn’t it? You chose my fave Berdoues, too. Will have to bite the bullet on one of them soon.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip!
I am so glad that you are having a good trip — and sorry about the bad day earlier this week. Fumerie is awesome, is it not? Happy traveling! PS I also talk to all the cats and dogs I run across who will give me the time of day.
Lucky you, having seen a moose in the wild! I was hoping to catch sight of one the last time I was near Yellowstone. Sounds like you are having a trip for the ages.
Twinsies! I love Assam of India and its elephants!
And not to enable any of you, but Parfum1 carries Berdoues and currently has a 25% off code (summerdaype). I used it last night to buy a bottle of Frapin Speakeasy that I’ve been coveting for quite some time, but couldn’t justify the $195 price tag. Parfum1 had it discounted and with the code, it ended up being around $80. Score!
Nice buy!
I am wearing the beautiful Guerlain Liu today, courtesy of a very generous person here on NST, and drinking a hot cup of lemon ginger tea.
That is a pretty one! I sampled it recently.
In Arielle Shoshana Eau de Parfume and I never want this passion fruit to go away (*sniffle* but I know it must go the way of all fruity-good notes). Couple of comments on it:
1. Free sample shipping. This seems wonderful but…
2. IT IS A TRAP. Because now I want more (I’ve already resprayed once to get another hit of fruit).
Ari — 15ml bottles please?? You know we’d take it in an old jam jar if we could screw a spray nozzle onto the top.
“IT IS A TRAP.”
lols.
Many Bothans died to bring me this information.
????????
Yikes. Just snorted coffee down my shirt. You comments should come with a laugh warning!
I am a fan of Ari too!
“You know we’d take it in an old jam jar if we could screw a spray nozzle onto the top” LOLOL.
I guess that wouldn’t work for the upcoming Bottle Porn Friday (or maybe it would be perfect?)
Depends on how artfully we wrap the jam jar in raffia and burlap a la Pinterest!
hee hee, you people are hiliarious
agree! the passionfruit in ari edp is perfect
Your post is coming dangerously close to birthing a sampling lemming.
Going out sniffing later today, so just a small spritz of AdP Magnolia Nobile edt to the chest.
You smell fantastic!
report back, please!
It was a great day of sniffing. Here’s what I smelled:
Armani Privé Iris Celadon: starts off with a woody iris but didn’t last very long. Meh.
By Kilian Black Phantom: great stuff, not overly sweet, loved the rum and coffee. Will definitely buy this when the refill bottles are available.
Cartier Les Heures VII: odd and dry, but very pleasant. I was intrigued by it, but it wasn’t all that potent so not worth $300 CAN to me.
SL Veilleur de Nuit: gorgeous cocoa note, but it didn’t last long enough and the $800 CAN price was a big NO.
Mugler Aura: was told it will not be available until January but got to sniff the upcoming September release from the Les Exceptions line, a gourmand floral. Smelled lovely with a little hazelnut or amaretto note, looking forward to that one.
Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka: was thrilled to find the special LE bottle at Holt Renfrew and snapped it up immediately. The SA kindly included a mini of Incense & Cedrat.
Could not find La Petite Robe Noire Black Perfecto, will probably come out in the fall here.
It was a great day!
SOTD is Lush Death & Decay, solid version. It was a blind buy, and today I picked it up from post. I applied it immediately (while still at the post office), and so far I am really enjoying it. It’s a lily fragrance from the beginning till end, but it is something of a shape shifter: it started as a soapy lily, then changed into powdery lily, then into a slightly sweet lily, then waxy lily and spicy lily. I think it’s back to soapy lily right now. And the projection is not bad at all, especially for a solid: I enjoyed wafts of this scent outside (well, it’s a windy day, which helps), and I can still smell it on myself now, indoors.
I only tried the oil version but I definitely got the decay part. Rotting lilies! Once it settled in I liked it enough to contemplate owning it.
No rot detected so far! Though there is something funeral-like, a little. I don’t mind.
Enough rot in the liquid version that I am considering wearing it for the project tomorrow!
I was about to applaud you for thumbing your nose at the post office for the perfume mailing restrictions, then realized you wore the SOLID!
Moreover, it was a domestic ground shipping, so even a liquid would be perfectly legal. So no, I am not a defiant rebel.
I’m in Habit Rouge today and it’s an oddball for me because it is the only fragrance I have the feels somewhat barbershop to me. But I wear it with pride in my girly office outfit!
I love having a scent that is at odds with my outfit!
I’m a big fan of wearing masculine perfumes with a girly outfit! You’re killing it today
Has there ever been a Gender Swap Friday project? If not, I’d like to propose one: Women, wear a masculine fragrance (however you interpret this); Men, wear a feminine fragrance; Gender non-conforming folks, wear something that doesn’t “fit” your gender identity.
I like that idea!
Me too!
Yes, we have done that!
I only recently procured a sample of HR to compare with the decant of HR Dress Code that I have (and love). Almost the same to me but HRDC is more Fall/Wintery and gourmand. You smell great! I do the counterbalance thing with outfits too, but more often femme perfume woth masculine outfits.
I tend to be a girly dresser. I wear dresses and heels almost every day to the office and even when I wear slacks or trousers it’s usually with a feminine top- just my style haha. But now, with ‘fume, I’ll all over the place and nothing really seems too masculine for me now though I do have my favs of course!
Today I’m wearing ‘Encre Noire’ by Lalique. It’s very hot here in Berlin today and the weather is working really well for this fragrance.
You smell terrific!
You smell great!
(i am beginning to suspect your taste is somewhat similar to mine…
Nice!
Love that one!
Love Encre Noire! Lalique doesn’t seem to get a lot of love, but Encre Noire is fabulous, and I also like Perles de Lalique (peppery rose) and Eau de Lalique (like a light green, watery Hermessence).
It is going to be in the mid-90s and humid again today, so I gave into my craving for a bracing aromatic fragrance. I’m wearing 4711 AC Melissa & Verbena.
Good morning Y’all!
Trying a new (to me) sample today: She Came to Stay, by Timothy Han Edition. NICE!! I love a good aromatic…and this one dries down to a gorgeous woody/oakmoss. On the masculine side on my skin, and I’m OK with that!
Sounds great!
I hadn’t heard of this one before, but what a fantastic name!
Since today is my Friday I’m doing the oddball challenge in AG Mandradore, thanks to a generous NST’er. Starts out weird, but settles down into a nice, herbal skin scent. Perfect for a hot day.
house cousins
Another NSTer keeps her Mandragore in the fridge, for a nice cold spritz on a hot day.
I love AG Mandradore, it’s so refreshing and energizing – love the herbal notes.
love, love, love AG Mandragore! You smell wonderful!
Nothing oddball today.
Though you could say the quality of this is so good, its almost odd
Vetiver blanc, by Sultan Pasha Attars
I wear it at least once a week… it’s an addiction, and most beautiful in warm weather
Oh and I am also addicted to Kusmi tea BB Detox at the moment. So good when its warm. The box says: Grapefruit, green tea, maté and plants.
Love BB Detox, I must get some more, it is really lovely in the hot weather!
Oh, I’ve got an oddball for ya! It’s no secret that I accumulated a veritable tsumani of samples, but do you ever pull something out and think “wait – why on earth did I actually buy this?” Well, I have absolutely no clue. None.
Sotd (one of ’em) is Power Ballad by Room 1015. Here’s Jessica’s review:
https://nstperfume.com/2016/06/09/room-1015-power-ballad-fragrance-review/
That might be a good community project sometime – “wear something that you can’t remember why you bought it”. Or “wear something that has no label and you can’t remember what it is”.
I like both ideas
Great idea. I have a couple that would be contenders for the second project, unfortunately. Lol!
LOL!
And I DO know why you bought it…it has cumin listed as a note
we are NOTE twins today!
I don’t seek out cumin, but I’m not averse to it either. In the case of Power Ballad it smells more like dirt to me.
So what do you think of Power Ballad?
Scrubber!
That cursed review. For days I was compelled beyond reason to play recordings on YouTube for my whole family after I read it…. Toto, Meatloaf, Eric Carmen, Foreigner, Bad Finger!, Peter Cetera…. Oh it was awful. Awful.
I know! I did the same. “Awful” befits the fragrance too.
SotD = Geisha Vanilla Hinoki
Not an obvious oddball, but for me GVH is just far enough from center to qualify. It is an instance of perfume alchemy, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The scent’s progression from top to bottom is startling and beautiful.
If you have a moment, do watch the “odd ball” Paul Smith Limited Edition Football video, highlighted by Robin in yesterday’s SotD. It’s gorgeous magic for the eyes and ears:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL5LsKBpWH4
Last day of school here. HOO-RAY! Onward.
Congratulations to all graduates at this season, and to their families, teachers, and supporters as well. Let’s be proud of them. Parents, teachers, support staff, administrators, and school volunteers who made it through another school year, you deserve applause, too. CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP
CLAPCLAPCLAP with you on the graduates etc! My son starts his senior year (high school) this fall and I am both sad and happy at the same time lol.
And my son graduated last week — yes, it is both a huge relief & a huge sadness.
Belated congrats on your son’s graduation!
Thank you!
Congratulations!
Agree about the emotional effect. One morning last week I had to go back to bed after the school run.
Oh, when he leaves for college I am quite sure I will be a mess.
Day 2 of the big bellybutton. Good thing I don’t put away my winter perfumes, as it’s early-March weather over here. I’m even tempted to dig out my gloves…
Heh, I think I have a forgotten pair of convertible gloves (fingerless to mittens) in my no longer ratty Longchamps tote.
Strange Invisible Perfumes Black Rosette. Last night I wore Fair Verona. There are a few bottles in the line that I’d really love to have.
Hmmm. Don’t know this one. I saw your comment yesterday about Mohave Ghost and am glad you are enjoying it! It’s neglected here so if you are interested in the bottle, just let me know.
https://nstperfume.com/2005/09/06/strange-invisible-perfumes-the-signature-collection/
Boy, ditto.
Almost a good thing that she seems to have nearly stopped releasing new fragrances.
Thanks everyone for all your well wishes for my son yesterday. He is really doing quite well. I am just very very tired of bad news, and am hoping that by some chance they got his cortisol response wrong last time he was tested… But in the scheme of things for parents with sick children, I feel extremely lucky. And that is the truth of it.
Random still unrelated to perfume question– has anyone read Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B? What did you think of it? What could she accomplish with all her resources if she really wanted to help folks facing personal adversity?
All right. I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet. I have the most boring writing assignment in the world right now and I am totally unmotivated. Better to lounge in bed with the windows thrown open, sipping coffee, and wondering if Bucoliques de Provence might not just be the olfactory ticket for the day. Oddball because it is so under appreciated!
I haven’t read the book yet, but I am a member of the Option B online community. Have you read the book?
Wishing you and your family well.
Me too. The online community. The group I joined feels episodic and disconnected, so I have been trying to think of ways of to improve it.
Yes, I’ve read the book, and found in it some helpful thoughts and ways of framing grief and crisis. But her world is so different from my own, at times I felt frankly envious of all of her resources. But I am not sure how in her shoes I could do anything better/more for others facing adversity.
Anyway–I’d love to talk more about this off-line from NST (I think I am once again woefully TMI!!) if you’d care to. My email is ann dottie eisenberg attagirl comcast dottie net. If you’d rather not, I TOTALLY understand.
Emailing you now!
You smell so nice, and fingers crossed for the results!
Joining you in bed ( so make room ) and with an equally boring writing assignment ( trying to track down and secure permissions and copyright for 65 mountaineering extracts…. Ugh
I have been staring at the words “Training Manuals” for the last 25 minutes. Must. Write. Something. Interesting. About. Using. Trai. . . . . . . . . . . Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
What is a mountaineering extract? My mind concocted some hybrid of Edmond Hillary and vanillin
Hee hee. I’m editing an anthology so the extracts are from books and journals but also unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, speeches …all that stuff.
An anthology of mountaineering stories? Sounds really interesting! But tracking down rights to republish is no fun…
(Very relieved no one is squeezing mountaineers for their pure essence
!!)
Ha! I too am in bed staring at an unfinished – unfinishable? – paper on my computer.
It’s 10am and I still haven’t started. Funny how housework suddenly becomes so urgent, and just one more cup of coffee, and what’s happening on NST, and I’ll start when it’s 10.30 as that’s much neater than 10.11 ….
Ha! I just vacuumed my living room!!!!
Is it underappreciated or undersampled?
I was searching through my samples, looking for an oddball and came across CdG Series 4 Citrico. I accidentally spilled the vial all over my hands. Not an oddball, but as ELdO would say, “a nice scent”.
Maybe it gets odder when you wear the whole vial, LOL…
Hi everyone, today’s SOTD is Jour d’ Hermes layered over Roger & Gallet’s Fleur de Figuier body oil. Perfect combo for today’s warm weather.
I’m celebrating the arrival of our new admin assistant, who is a budding perfumista (a godsend, I work for a University, not many folks wear perfume). We’ve been without an AA for a few months, and we’re all SO glad she’s here!
Yay for a kindred spirit and finally getting an AA! You smell buoyant and cheerful! (love Jour! Have you tried the Gardenia?)
I haven’t, but it’s one of my favorite flowers, so I must try it very soon. Think I’ll run over to Sephora at lunch time…
That sounds like a delightful combination. I bet you smell fantastic!
I love fruity-florals, and the R & G figgy/green notes were speaking to me, and it also makes the Hermes last much longer.
My only dislike of the Jd’H is it’s longevity, and I have scent-glue skin, I get five hours max out of it.
Ooooh, i bet you smell lovely!
Having a day off today because of Corpo Christi. Went on a field trip at the National Park.
Wearing Hermes Le Jardin de Monsieur Li.
What a lovely day. Nice to get outdoors
No oddball for me today. Frangipane by Chantecaille from a sample. I will keep dabbing this throughout the day.
Hoping to finally wrangle my husband to switch cell phone providers. Sick of paying too much.
I have a sample of that too that I must try
I’m cutting through today’s humidity in Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds.
In other news, I just bought tickets to see one of my favorite bands, Mutemath, in September, and I can’t wait!! They put on such a great show and I think they deserve much more attention than they’ve gotten so far. This is shaping up to be an excellent concert season.
You smell great! I love Bois Blonds, such a pretty and refreshing scent.
I started the day in Amour Nocturne and I really liked it, especially the gunpowder note. However, it reminded me of Dzing! and Dzongkha, and I already own Dzing! and would prefer Dzongkha if I was to buy another bottle. (Partly so I could reenact the Uma/ Oprah gag over and over again. Dzing!? Dzongkha. Dzongkha? Dzing!)
After a shower, sprayed Eau Duelle. Not odd, just lovely.
Have a peaceful, happy day everyone!
I vote for Dzongkha
Oh I sampled AN recently and found it rather sweet…did not know it had a gunpowder note.
Eau Duelle is lovely.
I love Amour Nocturne and am happy to know another oddball wears it in summer
I wasn’t sure what to wear today but knew where to find inspiration. So my sotd is Kenzo Air!
I take Robin’s sotd advice quite often.
Hey twin! We smell great, don’t we? (I put on more this afternoon)
I’m wearing Wazamba — the only incense fragrance I think of as fun.
odd ball name for sure…wazamba!
fun to say tho
It’s not the same without the !
Someone here on NST once said that they pictured Animal from The Muppet Show saying “Wazamba!” and now whenever I see the name, I have that little earworm!
Wearing Miller Harris Fleur de Sel, salty beach and flowers, it is one of my oddest perfumes, really summery.
You smell awesome.
Testing a couple more Iunx scents:
No. 04 L’Eau Azteque – I can’t smell it at all. Next time I’ll spray heavily to see if I can catch the whiff of crushed pear on ice that Bois de Jasmin found “worth the hassle.”
No. 08 L’Eau Baptiste – I really like this one so far. It’s supposed to smell like orange blossom and acacia honey. To me, it’s very soft, tender, and slightly green, floating somewhere between orange blossom and mimosa.
Oooh, No. 08 sounds up my alley!
Holly, it’s really nice!
Now, when I say green, I mean more like natural leaves and petals, as opposed to powdery, the way mimosa often is. I don’t mean bitter galbunum green. It’s a little bit like Eau d’Hiver but not that far in the mimosa direction and not such an opaque cloud. But if you like Eau d’Hiver and orange blossom, it’s worth trying.
I’ll try to remember to bring it the next time there’s a perfume meetup. I should make a list of things that interest you and Wendysue!
Sounds great!
How does one pronounce “Iunx”?
I’ve read it’s something like “yoonks.”
Thanks. I’ve always wondered what it means and how it’s pronounced.
According to the website:
“In ancient Greek, the word IUNX evoked the myth of a motionless hunt, a hunt in its most subtle and most magical form, the ultimate seduction where the only weapon is perfume.”
If you google iunx, it does seem to have been something in Greek mythology.
Fascinating!
Sotd is Commodity Mimosa, from my almost empty travel spray. I love this flowery citrus so much. Odd for me, because I’m just not real big on citrus. I do think I would have already bought a full bottle, if I liked the bottle. For that price, I want to like it inside and out.
I’m in Ann Gerard Perle de Mousse. Perfect for the weather today which is balmy. Smells like a field of yellow, drying wildflowers- a good sub for Ostara, I think. Very similar except the drydown of this one is sweeter (Ostara turns into puddle water on me).
Jardin Sur le Nil, and loving it.
You smell great!
No oddballs for me today. I’m wearing Oriza Legrand Reve d’Ossian, which seems to be mostly frankincense. I’m enjoying it.
You smell lovely.
93% humidity and raining today. Everything I looked at to wear seemed too heavy, so I went with Kyoto. I have theater tickets for tonight and it will be gone by then.
PSA–First in Fragrance has La Parfumerie Moderne Desarmant and No Sport on sale for less than half-price. I have loved Desarmant since its release so I bought a bottle. Even with FIF’s high shipping to the US, it’s still a deal.
You are hereby awarded an enabler’s pin! I loved LPM when I tested their line at Twisted Lily. Will check out FIF now.
I know, it’s killing me! But I am in Canada and they don’t ship here. Wish I had known you were ordering, I would have piggy-backed. Wish their shipping wasn’t so high.
SOTD is the oddball Elephant & Roses from MCG. I admit that I’m provably very influenced by the oddball name, but it matches the fragrance well imo. I don’t find it rose-centric at all; on my skin, the costus is a lead player and fares well with the grassy vetiver and the softness of the rose. Makes me feel like I can imagine the scent of elephant skin. Very odd but very intriguing.
Yes, this is on my list for making up an MCG set. I have a few more samples to go before deciding what others to get – Sideris and Exultat are likely candidates.
I love both, own Sideris. Have you tried Lankaran Forest? It is my absolute fav of the line I think.
I still need to try LF. Someone on Fragrantica described it as smelling like a boy’s locker room and I couldn’t shake that olfactory image.
Yeah, that would be the worst, but it isn’t what I get, even remotely. Although now I have to go sniff and check!
I think that was an uncorroborated impression. But it sure made an impression!
Yikes.
Same as mine.
I deal with enough oddball people and situations everyday, so I opted for beautiful instread. Went with the lovely Taklamakan. I’m addicted and very happily so!
Taklamakan is beautiful!
You smell gorgeous!
I think a number of us are pulling out the Serge Lutens in anticipation of changes — and for me trying to decide if I need a bottle of this or that. I already got a discounted back up of La Fille de Berlin as I love it and am more than half way through with the one I have. Today trying out Fille en Aiguilles (spelling!?), which I like but don’t need.
Wearing Loulou . Another shapeshifter as it seems to open in the middle and go in two directions at once , veering bitter and musky vanilla.
Was thinking about an old bottle of gorilla perfumes Dirty ( black bottle) as a lot of people have been mentioning the mintiness of You, or someone like you and Dirty has that weird spearmint opening, too.
SOTD = Chanel No. 5 L’Eau
Not an oddball BUT, this is one of two perfumes (the other one is EdM Bleue) where, after buying the 50 mL, I saw the 25 / 30 mLs bottles, and decided to buy the smaller sizes too!
Speaking of darling bottles, has anyone seen the 50 mL bottle of L’Homme or La Femme Prada? They are really adorable! The 100 mL bottle requires man-hands to spray comfortably. I smelled the La Femme Prada Intense at Nordstrom and it is a no go. I’m waiting to smell the L”Homme Prada Intense. Looks like I am ready for the bottle porn community project!
Indeed you are!!!
Cute little bottles can be dangerous!
I just was able to try La Femme Prada last week, and really liked it. What is different about the intense? It will probably be about a year before I see it in the stores here.
SOTD has been Ys Uzac “Satin Doll”. Oddball because of the name, and because up to now I have found Ys Uzac stuff rather odd, and usually not in a good way.
Top: elemi, pink pepper and black pepper;
Mid: iris, tuberose, jasmine and rose;
Base: myrrh, incense, patchouli, opoponax and oakmoss.
This rather short-lived scent is all about a slightly carroty iris with supporting rose. I like it, but I don’t love it. (It makes me think of an unnkown town you might stop in on a journey, and enjoy walking about and having a nice meal, and then drive on and never look back).
Eau de Merveilles today, which isn’t really like anything else I own. It’s in the dry down now, and very nice.
I never quite got on with any of the Merveilles but I’ve lately had a strong desire to retest them. (Which may possibly be spurred by my desire to own some of the ultra-adorable Merveilles minis…)
the Merveilles minis are cute. I wear one as a pendant on a silk cord in summer. very handy for top ups during the day.
smellin’ fabulous
Sigh, Kenzo Air – I’ve been dying to try it since you posted that review what I now see is 9 years ago!! Ack! My chance has probably passed but I still do keep an eye out for it.
SOTD, now that the patients have all gone home, is First from my office mini.
Gracious, time flies! There are plenty more fish in the sea, right?
Wore Shalimar Eau Legere (thanks to the ever-generous Laura) this morning then topped up with Shalimar Souffle this afternoon. Shalimar in any form rarely fails to make me rapturous.
So, Robin, I have to ask if you bought anything at Beautyhabit?
I passed on the sale (thus far) but elisap, we might have been eyeing the same bottle…
Prolly. Although, after retesting my Ava Luxe Bohemian Rose sample against the PdR, I think I may actually prefer the Ava Luxe. They’re not exactly the same with the AL not being as bright on the rose note(downside), but also less (baby) powdery in the mid section. But otherwise they remind me strongly of each other.
I am ridiculous, but I did not want to pay shipping! I save lots of money by being ridiculous, though, and it is good to be cheap when you already have 5 gallons of perfume laying about
Today I’m wearing Estee Lauder’s Sensuous Nude. Another beachy one.
1990s Acqua di Parma Profumo – my top 10 Edp. Nothing oddball I guess; the ylang ylang flower looks unique and amusing, so maybe that could be the oddball portion of the project. Stay cool! ???? ❄️
Unusually slow Internet access for me today. It’s taking what seems like forever for my emails to load. Wonder what’s up?
SOTD = retesting Le Maroc Pour Elle, in the name of Science! and also to let Foxbins know that, yes, there is a difference between my sample and the sample you so graciously provided. It’s not a huge difference, but noticeable. Your sample is woodier and more patchouli-forward than the one I have, which my notes call “a beautiful floral patchouli”. I still do not have a lot of projection with Le Maroc, but it is definitely not a sillage monster on me.
Thank you for the comparison!
Meant to post this morning but got sidetracked. Oh well. Anyway, SOTD is Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom. Summer in a bottle.
Late to the game. Took my 13 yr old son to Sephora today because he wanted to do some sniffing. He already wears Bvlgari Black, which I like on him. He liked Polo Red, Sauvage, and Mont Blanc Legend Spirit. Not bad taste for his age.
My oddball SOTD is SJP Covet.
I love that! My 16 year old will wear Timbuktu
what a great time with your son!
Oh, Covet — great pick!
Joining in for Beer Day.. I’m off tomorrow and it’s been a looong week.
My oddball fragrance is Cabochard; it’s not vintage so I’m probably missing out on something great.
Off to read everyone’s choices for inspiration for tomorrow!
Good morning everyone! My job is hectic and I’m not getting much opportunity to read NST over breakfast these days.
I think Kingdom is my most oddball perfume, but I don’t think I want to expose my hairdresser to that this morning
I’ll save that for the evening and go with Trayee. Also unusual, but not so overwhelming.
It’s a cold morning here, but as the sun come up, I can see a clear blue sky. The nice soet of winter’s day.