Happy Nathalie Friday! (Also: Milk Chocolate Day and World Hepatitis Day.) Our community project for today: wear a perfume by Nathalie Lorson or Nathalie Feisthauer, if you have one.
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 sure I will not be the only one in Nathalie Lorson's Lalique Encre Noire.
Reminder: 8/4 will be Compare & Contrast Friday...wear two perfumes with the same note. Suggested by thegoddessrena.
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: top image shows Lalique Aréthuse Earrings ($425) and Cufflinks ($3500).
Twins, Robin!
We will be such a large group that there’s no proper sibling name for it
Infinuplets?
It’s a great vetiver scent. May become my second favorite vetiver fragrance after Guerlain Vetiver.
I made my husband participate in the project by wearing EN too!
Perfect!
I think infinuplets should be word of the day!
Convenient, isn’t it? You don’t have to count how many people are wearing the same scent.
I just love new words and yes this one is so practical
I’m also wearing Encre Noir- so beautiful (both the bottle and the scent).
Join the club
Me as well (catching up late but better late than never LOL)
I have almost nothing by either Nathalie so I wore Delicious Closet Queen by Etat Libre d’Orange. Such a stupid name, and not a very good scent, either. The point of it seems to be something hidden beneath something else, and Etat can do this — Divin’Enfant conceals leather and coffee beneath sweet orange-flower powder and candy in a way that’s almost magical — but this is just an uninteresting muddle. I guess I’ll scrub it off and put on something better.
I am sorry I don’t remember it better. I only know I didn’t like it well enough to remember it.
Beautiful sunny breezy day in Montreal. Sprayed on Bulgari Voile de Jasmin and headed out on a bike ride. Will be switching to LL Poivre 23 this afternoon for a Nathalie double-header.
Lovely, enjoy your bike ride!
Twins! (The Bvlgari, that is.) Hope your bike ride was good.
I need more perfume before I can effectively participate in the community projects – I think that’s a good reason to ramp up acquisitions
I am still enjoying my sample of Frederic milalle carnal flower from last night – so smooth, so beautiful! But, I am mad this perfume is so expensive – am in a “dousing” phase and at $265/$400 this does not fit the bill : (
Maybe Fracas is a more affordable substitute?
That is good to know! I have heard of Fracas but would not have thought it was similar to Carnal flower, thanks
They don’t smell similar to me, but both are classical BWF powerhouses. Fracas is more wet, green and vegetal to my nose. And worth trying. I’m not a huge floral or bwf person, but I love both. And indeed, Fracas can be found at a very reasonable price.
I’m a big ebay shopper, myself, and bought a used bottle of Fracas for around $35 iirc. But I know there are always lots of samples and minis available as well.
Thank you!
I had to look up BWF.
I thought, “big womanly fragrance”??
Coin-op, I can send you a small decant of Fracas if you would like to try it. Email me at monica67@aol.com
That’s very kind of you, thanks
I second madtowngirl’s Fracas suggestion. It’s the OG tuberose BWF! And it’s available at the discounters for decidedly non-Malle prices. ????
Thanks!
(What does OG mean?)
OG is slang: “original gangster”. (Like plenty of slang, bastardized and employed–online generally–by those of us who are, perhaps, too old and too white.)
????????
A travel edition? Or maybe look for splits.
Yes, good ideas! I guess I’m happy I found something I really like? ????
But you already smell great, and the projects are entirely voluntary. I hope nobody seriously feels like they need to increase their collection so they can play
Thanks! The “pressure” is voluntary : ) I really like the community projects, I think they’re a good learning tool!
Here’s a suggestion, if it has not been done before – perfume misnomers – wear a perfume that should really have the name of another perfume – e.g. wear what you think should really be called “flower bomb “
Interesting! We’ve danced around the edges of that but not done that exactly. Added to list.
Yay! thanks Robin!
I get really mad about prices too. It’s really hard to justify spending that much even when you love a perfume so much, especially when there is always something new to love.
Right? I like variety too – I could potential justify the $400 if i felt I could spritz at will and it lasted for years, but I think about all the other perfume I could get for $400
How about the travel spray or the hair mist? I haven’t tried the hair mist but hear it’s potent enough to sub and considerably cheaper (I think hajuusuri knows more about that one).
God to know, have not heard of that before, thanks!
I’m wearing Eau des Merveilles today – I absolutely love this fragrance. Thanks Nathalie and Ralf! I remember wearing it a lot during the week last winter when I was freezing because our furnace was broken, but it also is working beautifully on a hot summer morning. This is the fragrance I wish I had worn as an undergrad – too bad I graduated 6 years before it was released.
Have a great Friday everyone! I may need to track down some milk chocolate later today.
Twins! We smell great and I agree that this works anytime of year.
Also on team Eau des Merveilles here. We smell awesome!
I’m on team Eau des Mervailles too!
Ditto – Eau des Merveilles. Good stuff, I might have to get a bottle.
It’s my flex day off today; mission of the day is getting our passport pictures done and then go wait at in the lineups at the passport office.
Me too ( or is it me six?) for wearing Eau des Merveilles today. Yay!
Another twin here! I love it so much!
Ditto!
And one more!
Hi Sistine! There you are! At least I think? Wasn’t it you last year declaring your love for EdM all through the year? It was like a birdsong & call back one would laud the praises of EdM and the other Alahiiiiiiine!!( I think that was lovestoosmellgood) Was such fun to watch and a great curiously was born!!;) EdM was silenced after Hermes Galop arrived ( I do love LOVE LOVVVVVE that one)
Good to hear it again!
Alahiiiine is gorgeous !!!
????
TGIF!
SOTD: One of my absolute favourites – Profumo!
I am was so happy about Nathalie friday because I could wear this gorgeous perfume as a challenge fragrance.
And an underrated one too.
No perfume in my arsenal by either one of these talented perfumers…so…wearing vintage Boucheron Trouble…which reminds me SO MUCH of vintage Dior Addict (before reformulation) and it is divine….even the color is dark and rich (perhaps due to the aging process?)
oooh, I have smelled that once. Lovely!
It was a gift ( an adorable little mini in a gorgeous bottle) and I am really loving it
It really is divine!
I went through several bottles of trouble when it came out. Then one day I read Luca Turin’s review and felt stupid for liking it so much.
Wonder how many of us suffer from PLTSD–Post Luca Turin Stress Disorder? For me it was several perfumes he and Tania raved about, that I felt were just okay. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!
The therapeutic response is NST by the way.
I’m over it now
I can read a LT review and am totally unaffected, thank you very much.
Yeah…I can remember talking myself into wearing Beyond Paradise shortly after the Trouble incident. That cured me of being swayed by his reviews.
That’s the one that cured me, too, Kanuka! Blech…
HA! i pay no attention to any of that…if I like it I wear it….even the cheap stuff
Me, too. I have to admit, though, I’m glad no one has ever asked me about my perfume when I’m wearing Adam Levine for Her.
Wow! “Trouble” was how. first described my husband the first night I met him to my then roommate & still best friend!! How could I possibly resist?? Soooooo enabler pin goes. To YOU Chocolatemarzipan8, I just blind bought a FB on eBay!! The notes sound like an amazing combination. I am very curious, I cannot wait to try this.
Thank You so much. I had never tried Dior’s Addict, and I am curious about the references on Fragrantica to Cinema. I The bottle is very attractive too.
What made you pick this one??
Happy FriYAY!!
Well, I could have worn Lady Gaga Fame from Ms. Lorson, or ELdO Putain des Palaces from Ms. Feisthauer…but the hubs was asleep on his last day of summer vacay. So instead of turning on lights and digging around the scent stash, I grabbed the Atelier Pomélo Paradis and kept on moving!
I’m a broken record with the Pomélo Paradis, but it’s just so dang hot and humid for much else!
I just love it when you say Happy FriYAY!????
Nothing wrong with being a broken record…I love it when I read that someone loves their fragrance enough to wear it more than once or twice a week
I’m wearing Nathalie F’s Champaca Luxe from CdeG. It is very summery, and today is quite cool and grey, but it should warm up by this afternoon.
Nice! That was on my list today.
I have a sample of Champaca which I wore yesterday. The dry down is very pretty.
Eau des Merveilles today. My first (and one of only two) blind buy after reading all the rave reviews on perfume blogs. It was love at first sniff and I went through my first bottle pretty quickly. I would say it is in my top 5 scents of all time.
Hooray for Friday and 4 day weekends!
EdM was love at first sniff for me too. We smell great today. Enjoy the long weekend.
We do smell great!????
Twins! I just sniffed it for the first time last weekend and have already gone through my sample I got at Sephora and am in mourning. I can definitely see myself wearing this frequently enough to get a FB.
Get back to SEphora and get thee another sample (or two!!)
Oh I am! And this time I am taking extra people to ask as well ha!
Hey twin- we smell great! The 15 ml bottles can be found on eBay for a good price, which is how I first tried it. I went through that bottle lickety split!
Hooray for blind buy success! I’m glad you can join the EdM fan club because, sadly, it absolutely does not work on me.
Encre Noir Sport pour Homme. A perfect summer cologne and an outstanding value. Have a great weekend.
Have you tried regular old Encre Noire? If so, how are they same/different?
Yes. It is a wonderful vetiver and cypress fragrance. I use it more in the autumn and winter. The sport has citrus to make it great for summer. You can find great deal on both.
Thank you. I just might like the Sport too. I get scared of the word “sport” in relation to fragrances–because frequently it means calone. But added citrus in Encre Noire would be nice!
Safran Troublant is keeping me company on this travel day! Headed up to West Point for a wedding. I hate these long coast-to-coast flights, but we are stocked up on TV shows and books to keep us occupied. I’m feeling both excited and guilty about not having brought any work on the flight…I guess I’ll just be super-busy when I get back!
Happy Friday, all
I think it is good to practice “setting work down,” in response to our culture’s pressure to use every available second to keep plugging away at our jobs. Plane flight? Excellent time to catch up on binge watching a season of your favorite TV show, or to read a good book.
Wave hi to my niece at West Point! (or whatever relation a cousin’s kid is. I can never remember.) She’s midway thru Beast training. Tough gal.
If your cousin is a first cousin (my definition being the offspring of one of your parent’s siblings), the cousin’s kid would be your first cousin once removed and that kid’s kid your first cousin twice removed.
I’m not into genealogy but I have, ready for this, 43 first cousins (31 from dad’s side). Family reunions were chaotic and even more so for the grands’ special celebrations (big birthday or wedding anniversary) because both sides get invited. Even if not everyone came, these celebrations end up with 500+ people and on one of the wedding anniversaries, I recall being told there were almost 1,000 people!
Oh neat! We have a lovely view of the school (it looks like a castle!), so I assume she’s inside there
This place is really beautiful.
I really need to try Encre Noir one of these days – it sounds like an autumn fragrance to me. But today I chose Carthusia Mediterraneo for its soft, gentle citrus and tea. One of my summer favorites.
You smell fantastic!
Encre Noire is an all season fragrance IMHO.
Breaking my perfume rest for today. SOTD Nathalie Lorson Lalique Amethyst Éclat from a sample I completely poured on myself. The opening is too fruity for my taste. Lots of berries. The drydown is a little better with some woods and violet. It is ok, but not FB worth. Happy Friday everyone!
Sorry you broke your perfume rest for just “ok”!
Ha! But better than nothing…
My Nathalie is Feisthauer’s Gardenia Petale. It’s clean, slightly green, a nicely made but somewhat subdued white floral bouquet. It’s easy to wear and I like it, but it doesn’t make my heart sing. It feels as if it needs just a touch of dirtying up. It might be perfect for a steamy summer evening in a big city.
Twins! Wearing it on a humid-but-not-too-hot day today. Layered over lightly scented bath powder.
Not participating today..but thanks to a generous NST I am Aoud Rose Petals by Montale.
Happy Friday and have a fragrant day
How do you like it?, I’ve just started becoming interested in Montale.
sample with caution, this one in particular is very strong.
SOTD is my only Nathalie {insert either surname here}, “Putain des Palaces” by Etat Libre d’Orange.
Notes: leather, ginger, amber, mandarin, violet, lily-of-the-valley, rose, rice powder and musk.
It’s fine, but I already have a great powdery perfume for the odd times when I might want one. (4160 Tuesday’s “Urura’s Tokyo Cafe”, now called “Tokyo Spring Blossom”).
I am struggling today with working from home. Many people I know find they get a lot more done at home, without work interruptions. I am better in the office, and at home I seem to lack concentration and create my own interruptions far more effectively than my colleagues could ever dream of. I’d like to get on top of this, not least because the office is in another country and I don’t want the only practical answer to be staying away Mon-Fri forever.
Any tips from NST folk who’ve cracked this?
That is why I do not work from home anymore. I stopped it long time ago. I could not get anything done. I used to find any excuse to get distracted and like you I could not concentrate properly. Then, when things did not get fully done, I stressed myself greatly. I prefer to stay in the office late or work during the weekends. Home for me is the place to enjoy and relax not the extension of the workplace stress.
Yeah, I’d really like to crack this though. I wonder if there are any shared workspaces in my city, where you can just turn up and pay for a desk for the day…
Do you have a place carved out where you only do work? For me that helps a lot, similar to the theory that you shouldn’t do things other than sleep in bed…
Yes, I have a very nice secretaire with all my professional books in the bookcase part and stationery etc in the drawers. I agree it’s vital to have a clear ‘work corner’. :^)
I have this same problem with working from home. My solution has been to pack up my work and take it to a quiet place where I can concentrate, like a coffee shop (depending on the noise level) or a library.
Hmm, I might ask my local friendly coffee shop, on those days where I just can’t settle at home. :^)
Arising from bed at the usual time, going through your morning routine on schedule, dressing in office wear (Friday casual dress code perhaps), and starting work at the same time each morning can help when working from home. I also liked to spend time each evening making a list of tasks for the next morning to get me in gear for work the next day. Good luck, working from home is worth the challenge.
I sometimes wear my office suit to remind myself it’s still a work day.
Except for meetings, which I prefer in person, I work better from home than at the office. Tiffanie and Elisa P’s advice seems right. Regular schedule and work place – although I rotate mine around bit depending on what I am doing – and built in short breaks like you’d take at the office. Just a walk to the kitchen for water can be enough to get me back at my desk.
Oh, I’m pretty good at taking breaks all right… ;^)
Also in Putain dea Palaces, and it is also my only Nathalie. Does that make us twins-squared?
The work-from-home challenge is also a tough one for me. All the advice already given does help me, too, but I am not always sufficiently disciplined to follow it. Making a schedule REALLY helps. If you find other tips that make a difference for you, please come back and share!
Well between PdP, and the only Nathalie, and our WFH issues, we must be up to twins trebled and counting. :^D
Set yourself a time limit ( in my case I set myself a daily word count if I’m writing a novel). Tell yourself , I will sit at my desk for three hours and concentrate and then I can get up and do whatever I want for three hours. This is much better than sitting at a desk for six hours in order to achieve three hours work.
Also…imagine the three hours quickly passing rather than dragging on. As in, I’ll be finished by one and will have the rest of the afternoon for fun.
Also…figure out when you like working. Morning or evening and do the most pressing/difficult work then.
I must admit, I am very structured in the office and just need to add that structure to WFH.
Not sure I can be helpful here, since I much prefer working from home. When I WFH, I still get up at the usual time, and start work right away. For me, that means I start work at least an hour or more before I would if I commuted, which fits in well with my co-workers who live in further-east time zones. AND then I usually end work early too, so I have time to go out and get some exercise. It’s important to have a quitting time in mind so that work doesn’t consume your whole day.
Sticking to regular work hours is important to me too, both to co-ordinate with colleagues and because as an independent I need to feel I’ve provided my money’s worth (because by heck I’m gonna bill it!)
Switched to Jeroboam “Miksado” for the evening.
Top: bergamot, labdanum and saffron;
Mid: cedar, guaiac wood and geranium;
Base: patchouli, vanilla and white musk.
I had a look at those Lalique cufflinks – €2500 for a pair of cufflinks and they are sold out! Sadly so is the €150 version (white metal rather than gold).
And I forgot to mention a few packs of decants or samples arrived, plus a FB of Indochine, so I am sorted now until next quarter I think. :^)
A friend had a Tiki party several years back and invited friends and neighbors. I chatted with one of the neighbors who mentioned going through phases where he had to work from home. He said that to put himself into the right mindset, he dresses in his office wear, leaves the house and locks the door. Then immediately turns around, unlocks the door and walks into his home workspace.
That’s fascinating. I recall reading the summary of a study suggesting that walking through a doorway reset certain parts of the brain. It made me feel better because I so often walk through a doorway into a room and can’t remember why I’m there, lol.
That’s me!!! all the time!!! i call it “middle aged brain syndrome”
I’m wearing my only Nathalie (which sounds like a perfume name itself), Lalique Amethyst. It’s good for layering.
My Only Nathalie is a great name for a perfume. Weird but evocative (which might be a fun community project), like the names of British pubs.
What do you layer it with?
Having no Nathalies in my collection, and feeling rather flowery today, I’m in Love & Toast Mandarin Tea. It’s really giving me a boost as I muddle through this last workday before a fun weekend.
Those of you in Encre Noire have reminded me that I’m interested in exploring vetiver, though it’s a note that I haven’t much liked in the past. Any suggestions for an accessible, beginner vetiver that is not too hard to find? Guerlain’s Vetiver is first on my list to sample.
Chanel Sycomore is lovely. Different Company Sel de Vetiver is where I first loved the note, but I’m told it is considered less accessible? But for me it wasn’t.
I have recently fallen for Vetiver Insolent by Miller Harris, it’s a smoky and incensey vetiver, but still light enough for summer.
I love Encre Noir too. And Guerlains vetiver is a must of course!
I think I need a sample of that…i tested it a while ago on a piece of paper (no space left on my arms haha) and it was really interesting.
I love Sycomore as well…
I just picked up a sample of Commodity’s Vetiver at my local Sephora for the community project in two weeks. It smells decent to me. I also like Dame’s Passionfruit, Orange Blossom & Vetiver (def FB worthy to me) and he sells travel sprays for $8.50 for 8ml (I think??) with free shipping and always includes at least 4 other samples gratis. And Reglisse Noire has vetiver and is in my top 20 of all times. Like you I am not a huge fan of vetiver so I would consider these three pretty friendly
Oh and I forgot!!! Berdoues Scorza di Sicilia has vetiver and that one is fantastic!!! I know you like citrus so you would most definitely like it.
And that bottle!!
I’d like to add, easy to find:
Grey vetiver, tom ford (office friendly, non offensive, fresh and clean, really nice)
And when you decide you really like vetiver – a bit harder but still easy to find:
Vetiver extraordinaire, frederic malle (vetiver on steroids, but very wearable nevertheless)
Harder to find i think, but I recommend it highly when you want a very smoky, dark/mysterious vetiver:
Vitrum, by Sammarco
Nice suggestions! I must look up Vitrum. :^)
Thanks everyone! I knew you’d have great suggestions. Sycomore and Sel de Vetiver sound particularly intriguing.
I came back to add Habanita! SUCH a different and easy vetiver that I forgot it was a vetiver at all until a couple hours into wearing it today. Softened with lots of vanilla.
Dita von Teese by Nathalie Lorson today.
I like that one!
So glad that one made a showing today
I couldn’t find the rest of my sample, or I’d have joined you.
Participating today in Place Vendome. If I had my way, though, I would wear Jaipur Saphir or Sicily. I consider Place Vendome my “I just want to smell pretty” scent. I’m not really in the mood for pretty today, so thinking I might reparticipate post shower in Black Opium.
Til an hour ago my SotD was Songes.
It starts lovely but after half an hour all that was left on my skin was a strong powdery vanilla, almost syrupy sweet, with some hints of white and tropical flowers.
I am a bit disappointed, because lots of reviews and comments rave about ‘best tropical flower’ scent, best jasmine and so on. But on my skin the flowers are vaguely there.
Maybe its reformulated, or maybe my sample was off…or maybe I should try another concentration….but in the end I dont think its ‘me’.
My skin disagreed with another Goutal as well. The much loved Nuit etoilee was nothing but orange juice and toothpaste on me and gone after 1 hour.
Just took a shower, and was planning on joining Team Encre Noire. But decided last minute to wear Eau de Merveilles, edt. Yummmm
Eau deS Merveilles
With an S.
Oh, I cant help correcting my own texts…I blame my career as a web editor.
I found Songes too syrupy sweet to enjoy as well. I’m kind of fascinated by different peoples’ sweetness tolerances. I used to think of myself as anti-sweet, but came to realize that’s not really true. Lolita Lempicka and Angel, for instance, don’t read to me as sweet, and I love all manner of gourmands. It’s actually sweet florals that I have a hard time with.
I’ve also tried enough Goutals to finally accept that it’s just not my favorite house. Or that nothing is quite “me,” I guess. There are quite a few I like, but none that really send me.
Most vanilla or sugar bases are a big no no for me. Too cloying, too powdery or too sweet. So i can skip more than half of the designer frags.
I can do balsamic, boozy or tabacco sweet though. Also, white flower sweetness. But without addes sugar please
Did you try the edt or Edp?
I was disappointed in how it worked on me as well, Especially after reading all of the lovely reviews – especially Victorias analogy of pulling a cashmere wrap through the wedding band!
I’m not willing to fully give up yet. Partially because I just love the packaging!
I dont know. Haha. I got the sample in store. I had purchased a bottle of OJ woman, and I asked for a sample of a nice jasmine scent. She gave me this one and I did not bother asking if it was edp or edt. Did not know at the time AG has two concentrations of every fragrance.
Well you have OJ woman,, so life is good! I ordered a sample of that and love it – that is on my full bottle list
Where did you buy OJ woman in a store? Are you in England?
No not in the UK, but I am nearby.
The Netherlands!
If you ever visit The Hague, go to Celeste. A lovely small perfume store (mostly niche, but they also have Hermès and Guerlain) in a very nice neighbourhood. Great staff.
They sell Ormonde jayne, Berdoues, Annick goutal, Profumum roma and much much more.
No affiliation!
..and yes OJ woman is great! Hope you get your hands on a bottle soon
I just bought some Nuit Etoile which is one of the few AG’s that really works for me. Songes and the much loved Sables are both terrible on me.
Oh must be lovely when Nuit etoilee works!
And that bottle is cutest in the whole line up.
Alas, it isn’t in the fantastic blue bottle.
You smell great both times! I enjoy Songes and love Eau des Merveilles.
I love Songes but I agree that the best floral notes are up top. On me the fragrance settles mostly into vanilla after about an hour or so but it’s dry, quite sexy and skin-alike, but not syrupy at all. This is the EDT. I’ve never tried the EDP. Funny about how we react to sweet accords. I can’t stand syrupy sweet so I’m lucky I don’t get it in Songes.
The edt is more floral than vanilla and the edp vice versa. The current formulation in the updated range is the edp. Not sure if the edt is still available new?
All the floral AGs I’ve tried have been a bit thin and sour on me. Like you, I really, really wanted to love Songes, but nope. As for Nuit Etoilee, I found the edt both sharp and fleeting, but got a decant of the edp from the lovely and generous Elisa P, and love it. It’s the only perfume I’ve tried with a noticeable pine/fir note that is actually wearable for me. It is quite powdery, which I tend to like, but might not appeal to you.
I’m team Natalie Feisthauer wearing Aedes Pelargonium
I am looking forward to trying this one.
Happy Friday!
1) Not doing the challenge today!
2) BUT! I showered in Aromatics Elixir body wash and am wearing Schmitz’s Rose Vanilla deodorant. Will spray on Jasmin later on. I smell GRRRRRRR-EAT!
3) Got a couple of BIG sachets of lavender buds, plus several handfuls of rosemary branches and some thyme. Will be powdering some of this to sprinkle in the house and make it smell like an idealized Provence.
Ooooooh, you are on fire!
#3- You go , girl!!! Love this!!!!
#2 and #3 FANTASTIC!
Is that the Schmidt’s baking soda deodorant? I’ve stuck to the unscented version, but been tempted by the Rose Vanilla. How strong is the scent?
Along with many others I am wearing Eau des Merveilles today, the last of my four Nathalie fragrances. I am also in love with this one, which is wearable year-round.. Maybe that is an idea for Robin – wear a scent that you only wear in the winter in the summer or vice versa.
Or “wear a scent that is wearable year round”
I love wearing EdM in all seasons. I smell more citrus on warm days, more woody notes in cool weather.
I had planned to wear Eau des Merveilles today, but when I went to get perfume it turned out to be a Diorella day, and a Diorella day cannot be refused.
I might make up for it next week though, as I have been planning to compare EdM with Smell Bent Smoked Ambergris (my only 2 ambergris-front perfumes, I think?) in hopes of finally figuring out what ambergris smells like!
One must always honour Diorella day.
I went to our museum and asked to smell their ambergris collection…maybe you could do that too? I think the smell bent is far more real as an ambergris and, surprisingly, Prada Candy also hints at ambergris because of the sweet rich caramel aspect. The ambergris I sniffed was very very layered: sweet caramel tending towards whisky, slightly salty, fecal…but think (grassy) horse poo…and smoky. There is also a milky element. EDM doesn’t remind me of ambergris.
IIRC, the man who wrote a book about ambergris, Floating Gold, said the perfume that smelled most like the real thing to him was Molecule 02. Which seems rather disappointing, if true. But I can’t find an interview in which he says that, so perhaps it’s not.
I reckon Skive also had an ambergris vibe…in its depth and leather/smoke/whisky richness
Interesting, especially since you’ve smelled real vetiver.
I mean ambergris. I was just reading a post above about vetiver.
I do not have any perfume for today’s project. Well, I do have a couple of samples but I’m on a “field trip” (visiting a customer) with two colleagues in a car so I decided against experimenting and wear a tiny spritz of Bois des Iles. I don’t know why I haven’t bought a bottle of EdT while it was available but now I’ll probably have to go for extrait: it is such a beauty!
Box of Eels! Super! You were very considerate of your colleagues.
I slept in Moon Bloom last night and woke up in the mood for more tuberose, so I’m in Carnal Flower today, and smelling WAY too good for the office!
What a night!
other fav bedtime perfumes are Sarrasins and Opium.
I also sleep in Moon Bloom, quite often actually.
I need to try Carnal flower soon.
I love tuberose, though sometimes it can get get too ‘grande’ for me.
I have to be in the right frame of mind for it (“sweaty,” generally), but tuberose is one of my favorite scents. Do try CF — it’s elegant but extremely lush, and very true to the flower.
Bvlgari pour Femme so team Lorson (and Grojsman). It’s wonderful and one of the scents I already owned before perfume insanity took hold of me.
Tea will be Blanc des orangers by Damman Frères.
I haven’t been here the last couple days, but popping with my only Nathalie, Lorson’s Poivre 23.
Nice and peppery for a busy day.
B of E for a day at he zoo.
Zoo? Literal or figurative?
Hope T-Rex is back to health and wagging her tail.
Box of Eels?
You all smell great!
I have a few samples around here, but I just couldn’t get on board with the community project today, so I turned to elephants! Berdoues Assam of India is helping me cope with a heat index of 104 today – that and lots of iced tea; I’m afraid of what would happen if I tried to properly celebrate Milk Chocolate Day!
Yipee to the elephants!!! Love Assam…love it love it love it…you smell so refreshing!
Perfect for an extreme hot day! You smell great!
In Larmes de Desert today since I don’t have anything handy for the challenge
You smell great.
Larmes du Désert, that name sounds quite poetic.
How is the fragrance?!
One of the best frankincense fragrances ever (also has myrrh! and gold flecks if you need all three of the gifts of the wise men in one perfume)
Lemming born.
SsotD = Eau des Merveilles now + VCE Gardenia Petale for evening from a decant (with many thanks to a lovely NSTer). EdM is great for layering. And that’s two Nathalie F.’s for me. I always enjoy Friday community projects that highlight perfumers and their work. Interesting but not surprising to see Encre Noire get lots of love today.
EdM makes this the easiest Friday project ever. I’ve spritzed, added Lait des Merveilles body lotion, and am wearing a mini EdM bottle on a cord as a necklace today. It’s a great smelling day.
Oops! VCA not VCE, heh.
How is the Lait des Merveilles body lotion?
Lait des Merveilles is great. It smells just like it should and has a light texture. It is milky and soft on skin, and that’s ok with me. When I need heavier moisturizing I use Nivea which smells nice too.
Thank you! It sounds delish! Adding it to my shopping list!
I love that mini bottle, but never thought of wearing it as a necklace. I’ll have to try it! Scent triplets, at least, in EdM–I’m reading up from the bottom.
I do not own any perfumes that fit the project today.
I’m wearing Fragonard Figuier Fleur. Its a pretty scent for the summertime.
Very pretty – that’s a nice one!
Happy Friday! Not playing today, but enjoying my spritz of Incense Rose. It will forever remind me of my trip to Jordan this spring.
I’m covering my Nathalie bases: Lorson yesterday and Feisthauer today. SOTD is Putain des Palaces.
Last day in Rome after three and a half weeks from home. No Nathalie’s with me, but wore Purple Fig against the heat today. Meanwhile, I am going to have a lot of explaining to do to Donatello when she comes around.
Goodness…Rome and perfume. That’s a good layering combination. Any smell/ perfume highlights from the trip?
Went to Campo Marzio 70 and the guy there was lovely. I went in search of Naja, which I had sampled and knew I wanted. Also got Onda EDP, which I’ve been craving, and Gabriella Chieffo’s Aquasala, to meet the intense Rome heat. The surprise hit was Memo L’eau, which I hadn’t tried before but really loved and went ahead and bought despite the too much money of it all. My person got some nice Roman cologne as well, the name of which is escaping me.
I found out that a work colleague with whom I was at a conference in Rome is also a perfume lover and he smells fantastic in Le Labo The Noir, which goes slightly sour on me. I am now intent on spraying my sample on my person when I get home and hoping it works as well on him.
Between Rome and Hamburg perfume shopping, I am hoping customs lets me back in the country.
If they stop you at the border just come here – we are pretty perfume inclusive
Pray tell!
Full confession above!
In the only Nathalie I have, Eau des Merveilles. I have already gone through the sample I got last Friday at Sephora and feel like I’m going to definitely need a FB of this one…
Eau des Merveilles is fantastic! A full bottle is always needed
Get back to Sephora and take several folks so that you can get multiple samples
….because once you get the full bottle the love wears off and then you wonder what you will do with 100ml of juice….at least this has often been the case for me …..
The bottle is gorgeous, at least (although the 30ml bottle is just as gorgeous).
I am taking my guy and my son and possibly my son’s girlfriend as well ha! She didn’t even know she could get Sephora samples so I am training her lol!
remember…you EACH get three free samples…four folks=12 samples
Yep! I want my son’s girlfriend to get a few she may like and the guys are pretty open to stuff as well so maybe can find a few good ones for them. But I’m going to need at leasrt 3 EdM samples ha!
Yay for Eau des Merveilles! You smell wonderful.
I finally did a 30 ml bottle from a discount site. Now that it is on my dresser, I reach for it much more. You smell great.
Ooh, Italian shopping! Are you making a list now, or will you wait to confess later on? I was just in not-too-exotic Portland and ended up with a four-bottle haul…
Portland perfume shopping is amazing! I must confess to four bottles from Rome and four from Hamburg. The Roman sins were Vero Kern Naja, Onda EDP, Gabriella Chieffo Aquasala, Memo L’eau; Hamburg Goutal Nuit Etoile and Matin d’Orage, Malle Superstitious, and Carner Barcelona Black Calamus. What did you get?
I’m in one of my favorite pretty florals, CdG Luxe Champaca EDT. Mmm it just seems to brighten my mood. Earlier in the week I planned to wear Encre Noir today, but I decided it may not be office appropriate for my scent sensitive office mate.
That’s funny. I decided against Luxe Champaca since it seemed less office(hospital) friendly than my SOTD. It does wear kind of big on me-I think my sister once told me it was too “heedy” (heady).
I would also think of Champaca as “heedy” but since it is a “pretty floral,” as therabbitsflower is describing it, it may work well for the office since people tend to like it (Champaca is one of the rare scents I received a compliment on). It seems to me that people tend to be more “allergic” when they don’t like how something smells (at least I am
Totally agree on your last sentence.
Hehe funny how we all define office friendly differently. I’ve worn Champaca to work multiple times with no adverse reaction from said office mate. EN seemed like taking too big a risk. Some other factors for me: office mate gets to work at least an hour to hour and a half after me so my perfume has usually calmed down some by then AND today was a walk to work day for me, so I sprayed on my perfume after I got here (in the private bathroom/shower room).
The plan was Gardenia Petale or Autoportrait because I have samples of both, but I didn’t much feel like either. I went to Mysore this morning and showered when I got back with Carnal Flower shower gel and put on Soleil Blanc afterwards.
You smell suuuuuper good!
I am in D600 by Carner.
Can anyone recommend Iris body butter, cream or lotion? Something less spendy than FM?
You smell great today!
Alas that Crabtree & Evelyn isn’t it, as the price is right…
I’m wearing Chopard’s entry into the Angel arena, a sweet caramel, vanilla, woody-based scent by Nathalie L. named “Wish.” Thank goodness it’s cool here today, in the heat this would asphyxiate me. I think Lillyjo has worn this in the past.
The Chopard I wear is Casmir. Wish has been on my wish list for eons. It has never been available here for me to try, but I always feel like it would suit me. I think you might have just talked me into just getting it already. I’m planning my fall/winter acquisition list, and haven’t come up with much in the affordable category.
Another one in Putain des Palaces, from a sample. Nice enough but not blowing my socks off. Shoulda gone with Eau des Merveilles, a top fave of mine (and many others it seems!)
Happy Friday All! Wow! This has been a busy week. This week was the first week back to work for the 2017-2018 school year! think I got a total of 4 weeks off for the summer.
Oh well! I own nothing from the two featured perfumers this week. My SOTD is Modern Muse Chic by Estee Lauder.
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
I’m wearing Nathalie Lorson’s Zadig and Voltaire This is Him. This smells like a roughed up version of Jo Malone Myrrh and Tonka. It’s quite good but after a short while it begins to suffocate. I think this perfume would work best on tall people. If you sprayed it on your foot and remained standing all day it would be more enjoyable.
Yesterday I spent the day working at my desk and wore Coromandel. I didn’t reapply or get bored and try a different scent but simply enjoyed the entire performance as Coromandel unfurled. It seemed to undergo so many transistions and shifts…at one point (5hours in) i am sure it had a very faint camphor note? Later still it sweetened to a vanilla …tonka…myrrh (JM myrrh and tonka again).I like how the sweetness is never sugary. There is something in Coromandel that makes me a bit queasy ( same thing happens with Dame Mexican Vanilla) and I think it might be the note that smells a bit like a chai latte. Anyway, remarkable perfume. Now I want to explore iris scents…Yesterday I was walking over a light dusting of snow over frozen mud and the smell was magnificent.
haha–“best on tall people”!
For iris, I am currently enjoying testing my large sample of Tom Ford Vert de Fleur (Kevin called it “Old Lady”).
Staying at home today so I can participate in the project with Versace Blonde. I don’t think I could convincingly portray myself with Blonde in public, but I have to admit that I like this unapologetic tuberose. And the 90s
This week I learned that I like Natalie Feisthauer (had enough material, if including samples, for the entire week) so will start to pay more attention to what she does. Good project!
It was the twentieth anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death last week so I tried a few Versace scents at the local shop. It was interesting.
How interesting! Was this your initiative or they had a special event for the anniversary?
Like his style or not, Gianni was a good designer (unlike his sister …)
I just happened to hear a good radio programme about him … Probably a BBC documentary….as I was driving to town.
Thanks; I’ll try to find it. The documentary on the guy who killed Gianni is not bad either (I think I saw it on youtube)
I can’t believe it’s been 20 years already.
Those earrings!
I’m in Nathalie Lorson’s Bvlgari Voile de Jasmin for today’s project.
I gave myself peach ombré hair yesterday! (Well, technically, it was supposed to be peach but actually turned out more coral, but whatever.)
Happy Friday, all!
Your hair sounds fab!
Well, it certainly looks ‘fun’ this time around (it’s semi-permanent). With luck, my technique will improve, and it will come out genuinely ‘fab’ next time.
Yes, the earrings! If I had not already spent too much on jewelry in Alaska, this pair would be mine.
Shhhhh! Don’t let my wallet hear you mention travel-bought jewelry! Must. Resist. Sparkly. Things. While. Traveling. ????
I know, right? I looked these up and maybe I am not so enamoured anymore – they are paste jewelry and look it. Maybe that is the point?
Jewelry: it’s the best souvenir. And the most damaging to the bank account. ????
The earrings are crystal, natch, because they’re Lalique (and refer back to ancient crystal gems & motifs). They’re a really gorgeous size. So tempting.
Coral hair sounds amazing! I’ve been wondering if I should try some semi-permanent color to cover my gray (the job market here being perhaps slightly different than elsewhere), but nothing seemed very appealing. Coral, though….
Well, it really was *not* supposed to be that color (better now after first shampoo), and it’s just from the mid-length down.
You might have to lighten it first with the bleach from the same product line, but have a look:
https://www.lorealparisusa.com/products/hair-color/products/semi-permanent/colorista-semi-permanent-hair-color.aspx?&shade=100-Peach
I see it has some mixed reviews–I guess it’s nice that L’Oréal doesn’t delete the bad ones. You’ll have to let us know how it does over time. The color is very appealing, even the swatches for brown hair with no bleach.
No Nathalie’s in my collection. SOTM is Demeter Thunderstorm, just because I felt like it. SOTA will be… who knows?
Skipping the two Nathalie’s in my collection to luxuriate in a 90s flashback– Escada’s Margaretha Ley… memories memories… I can almost hear my heals clicking when I walk… “Hold the elevator!!”
errr heels?
I’m surprised no one is wearing Nathalie Lorson’s Perles de Lalique! I plan to layer it with Theo Fennell Scent later this evening.
Scent is great! I will attempt this combo one day, I am sure you smell amazing.
To me, Scent is a bit amorphous, and Perles borders on sharp. So I like the combination better than either of them alone. And by layering, I mean spraying each one on a different wrist.
I have tried Scent with Bulgari Black and have also tried it with Patchouli 24, both attempts to butch it up a little/give it a little spine.
Interesting that we both feel it needs something.
I got to try jjlook’s Theo Fennel Scent. On paper,it smelled great…on my skin, B.O.! :::::shudder:::::
Interesting, I’ve read reviews that talked about the skank, but I’ve never smelled that myself. Of course the question is, am I not smelling something that is actually there, or is it just different on me.
SOTD = ELdO’s Putain des Palaces, from the sample stash. I am scent twins with quite a few people today. Nathalie Lorson’s Black Opium was NOT going to happen, given today’s rather soupy weather. It’s supposed to rain buckets overnight in my area, so I’m glad that I don’t have any plans for the evening.
Eau de Merveilles is the only thing I have and its a fav. And the Bleue version on the other wrist.
Scent twins, at least.
SOTD = Lalique Encre Noir
I have not yet read any of the comments but I would venture a guess that NST birthed octuplets for this challenge! I got a decant from a dear perfumista friend. I used 5 sprays and I was shocked when I couldn’t smell it anymore at the 5 hour mark but then it came wafting back in a big way. Nice!
Today’s observations:
1. Woman speaking on the phone describing every emoji she used with a guy playing hard to get. Clearly the guy was not interested because boo hoo he had not replied back. What emoji should she use to make him answer back? Ummmm, maybe he wasn’t looking for the cutesie type?
2. Woman on train platform shouting into her phone while waving the other arm madly “I see you. What do you mean you can’t see me? If I can see you, why can’t you see me? (ummmm maybe he was looking the other direction?) OH MY GOD! Walk towards me”. She finally stalked off in the direction of whomever she was yelling at.
I really enjoy reading your commute experiences. There is another world out there….. HELP!
it’s one of those you gotta be there moments and these are not even the most appalling behavior.
The DC Metro is almost always eerily quiet in the morning when people are on their way to work. There’s more of a mix of tourists etc. in the afternoons. It helps that cellphone connection is not reliable.
If I have a device to block cell phone usage, I would.
It looks like there were ‘only’ five of us, Encre Noire wearers, including Robin and mayfly’s husband. Well, five and a half, if we count Downtown Scott wearing Encre Noire Sport.
Eau des Merveilles was the most popular choice.
Ah, I was wrong! Thanks for counting.
Six. I was also wearing it on the day (but am super late reporting in).
No matter the number, we’re in good company!
I don’t care for milk chocolate, or hepatitis, so I’ll settle for celebrating Nathalie Friday with Eau de Merveilles, from a mini. Even the mini bottle is gorgeous, although difficult to open and close. I suspect I will be at least a scent sextuplet. With a very liberal application, EdM is less elusive than usual, and I still find it interesting, but don’t love it. I envy those of you on whom it smells amazing.
Last night I saw a wonderful production of The Tempest in an open-air theater, with Ariel played by a pair of actors and a dozen dancers, and performances by a beautifully attired troupe of traditional Korean dancers and drummers. Really a lovely night. SOTE was Etro Shaal Nur, which was perfect in both the heat and high humidity (by California standards) of the early evening, and the chilly breeze later on. I can’t think of any Korean (or Korean-themed) perfumes, but I’m sure they must be out there. Maybe that could be a Friday theme: perfume from or inspired by a country other than France, Italy, or the US.