Happy Almost-Friday and happy World Lion Day! What fragrance are you wearing?
I went with Chanel Sycomore — its "aristocratic simplicity" will be perfect for my day of menial chores.
Reminder: on 8/11, wear a fragrance with vetiver, if you have one. (Need ideas? See 5 perfumes: vetiver fragrances for fall, winter, spring, summer.)
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 is Arizona Muse for Chanel Spring Summer 2017.
Sampling some little gems from the freebiemeet, JM mimosa and cardoman
Nocturne Orienatal tea
Pink lip balm
after this JM wore off I am not in Songes..
now..fat fingers today
Ooh! I’ll break out Cartier Panthere (the ’80s original, with the precious glass cat lounging on top) in honor of World Lion Day. I feel a good deal of kinship with the King of the Jungle- Ari means “lion” in Hebrew, and I’m also a Leo. Not to mention the apparent Siamese/lion mix currently napping on my feet.
I did not know Ari meant lion, fun!
Assad, also means lion in Arabic
You smell amazing in Sycomore! Can’t wait to put on a vetiver tomorrow!
I am wearing Ninfeo Mio by Annick Goutal.
You smell great!
Happy Thursday! I’m sad because it’s my Sunday, which means tomorrow is Monday- Boo Hiss!
Love Vetiver week and today I’m sporting the one so many seem to love- Hermés Vetiver Tonka. My travel spray is at 50%! If I had endless income, I would buy every single Vetiver perfume and spend the rest of my natural born days testing and retesting Vetivers! Whoever came up with Vetiver week, Bless You!!
Was planning a 9/10 hike today but the weather is looking rather inauspicious at the moment. My new hikers may be giving me a false sense of athleticism since they make me feel like a mountain goat, so I need to be a bit more judicious in picking topography. Still in my pajamas and drinking coffee, surfing the net, while T-Rex digests her breakfast. She had an addition of a soft boiled egg with her kibble which she really enjoyed ????
Smell on NSTers!
Vetiver Tonka is so gooood. I feel you regarding the vetivers, I’d buy them all, too!
Just this morning I was thinking of asking for recommendations of a dozen or so good vetivers for me to explore.
Twins! I put on generous lashings from my large sample, probably influenced by everyone yesterday. I think this one doesn’t last too long on me, but I have other to put on in an emergency
Just a tiny dab of Pacifica Tibetan Mountain Temple solid perfume for my vetiver fix. I’m getting a haircut later this morning and the salon always uses nice-smelling Amika hair products, so I will let that be my scent of the day.
How nice! I don’t really like the smell my salon uses.
I don’t really like the smell of any hair product, and wish most of them came unscented. I’ve got curly/frizzy hair that needs a lot of product to stay reasonably tame, and I get frustrated when I find a product that works well, but smells like a particularly aggressive mango creamsicle.
Right there with you! I have a whole basket of curly-girl products that are too aggressively tiki-bar-cocktail-scented to use. I’ve resigned myself to Devacurl’s minted Juicy Fruit gum scent, but I wish it wasn’t so.
At least it fades quickly!
Same here! I like the Lush scents but otherwise have switched to jojoba oil and unscented, erm, unflavoured gel (personal lubricant: tip from britishcurlies.co.uk). I suffer not quite in silence at the hairdressers.
LOL at “smells like a particularly aggressive mango creamsicle.”
I totally agree that there need to be more unscented hair products. I don’t want the smells of my shampoo, conditioner, and styling wax to all be competing with my perfume.
Galop d’Hermes for the third time in less than a week
You smell wonderful!
Snap! Scent twins and we smell gorgeous
SOTD Guerlain Vetiver.
Yum.
Wearing Vero Profumo’s Mito.
Such a classic smelling chypre
You smell fab! That is a wonderful, wonderful fragrance.
Lovely! ????
SOTD: Coeur de Vetiver Sacre
This is a funny vetiver as it is straight up juicy passion fruit on me.
I remember testing it for the first time in Paris with my friend and after smelling it on my skin he said I had to get it. Got 2 bottles that day, the other being my personal preference: Bois Farine.
Wow – passion fruit? I love CdVS, but it’s airy-grassy on me. No fruit whatsoever.
Same here – very grassy on me. I do like it, though.
It turns to cherry pie on me, but I like it.
Good morning Y’all….
Going light and fresh with Clarins Eau Dynamisante. Just wasn’t in the mood for anything but very light….
It’s almost Friday! YAY!
Vetiver was challenging to me early in my perfume pursuits, so I’ve really enjoyed reading the comments and digging out samples of some of them to revisit.
I’m wearing Jo Malone Black Vetyver Cafe. My fantastic JM SA told me to get a bottle before it was discontinued. She also liked Wild Fig and Cassis. The bitter coffee is a good accompaniment to the breakfast sunflower butter banana protein smoothie. I hope the sensory experience will keep me on my added sugar detoxification program
.
I really liked that one. Could not make it last on me.
Glad to see you back, WendySue!
Vetiver pour Elle today: a decant from yet another kind & generous NSTer. I’ve been judicious with using it, when I realized it had been d/c’d but today saw that it is evaporating! Lovely stuff it is, too. I might just be using what’s left to get the goodness out of every last drop.
Fabulous, isn’t it?
It is the best!
I now understand why so many people love Encre Noire. I am wearing from a sample for the first time, and is immediately full bottle worthy. I need it and Guerlain Vetiver and I will have the full bottle vetivers that I need.
That’s what you think
Haha!
Twins! And yay, luckily both are dirt cheap at the discounters! And, like Robin said, you think so NOW, but just you wait until you meet the next exquisite vetiver.
Generously spritzed summer standby Eau d’Hadrien (vintage edp) today. Tart, lemony goodness.
sounds lovely! and luck you for having some vintage
You smell so good!
Yum!
SOTD is Thé Pour un Été.
Lovely!
That’s a great summer fragrance!
Trying Encre Noir pour Femme from a sample today and find it quite likable, but nowhere near the fabulous Encre Noir pour Homme. The pour femme is a bit too rosy for my taste, and I does not really feel like a vetiver fragrance at all. Too bad, I love the original and had high hopes
Agree! Don’t know why they made it so un-vetiver.
I don’t have much by way of vetiver in my collection. But I found three nice sample bottles of Odin fragrances and one of them, #3 Century, is supposed to have vetiver at its heart, so I have dabbed that on this morning. Whew, this is some serious scent especially for early morning with only one cup of coffee in me so far. I think I am getting the birch, mint, and patchouli, maybe the myrrh, but where and what is the vetiver? Guess I’ll keep waiting to see if I can discern it as this develops. (I put Odin 1 and 2 on my right hand and wrist so they are helping to break up the seriousness. I like #2, the citrusy one, a lot.
Rahele for me today.
You smell very elegant!
Classy sotd
You smell so nice!
Wearing French Lover, by Federic Malle.
A somewhat austere scent. Aromatic and vegetal. But it gets slightly warmer after a while, when a bit of incense pops up. Perfect for getting things done.
Oh and it probably has a lot of vetiver (but also an equal amount of galbanum and angelica), so with the theme again.
Weekend, where are you?
I’ve got to try this one. I may have once quickly, but it sounds so good!
Well…someone at work today told me I smelled good! Woohoo.
This is not something that happens everyday. Matter of fact, i think its the 1st time this year.
And..it happened after 9 hour wear. Go Frederic Malle! HAha.
Malle lasts roughly forever on me too
… A quick 30 minute run, shower and another round:
Larmes du désert, Atelier des ors.
Oooh a lovely well rounded incense. Thumbs up!
Love that one and have a full bottle. Smells of Amber and Myrrh.
I’m wearing Jo Loves Pomelo today. It’s been on heavy rotation this summer.
You smell great!
Thank you!
Twins twins!
I haven’t got wifi while the builders are in, so am out of the NST loop, forgot about vetiver week, and wearing one of my favourites Heure Exquise, no vetiver today, but I smell rather delightful nevertheless. I’ll participate in my new favourite tomorrow, Miller Harris Vetiver Insolent.
No wifi!! Hope the builders are done soon.
There was a huge storm last night in my area. I think it started around 4 AM (that’s when I woke up to take the towel out of the balcony) and it continued until 7 AM. The rain was pouring heavily and there were thunders and lightnings. Some streets were overflowing with water when I was going to work.
Now the weather has calmed down, it’s even quite sunny, with 26*C.
SotD is Prada Infusion d’Oeillet.
You smell great!
Sounds exciting.
I meant to wear 7 Virtues Vetiver of Haiti yesterday, but instead my hand went for 7 Virtues Afghanistan Orange Blossom. Today I have better control of that wayward hand, so SOTD is *actually* 7 Virtues Vetiver.
Inspired by all the Pacifica chatter yesterday, I hoped to find my favorite — Brazilian Mango Grapefruit — on sale but instead I found that it seems to be in the process of being discontinued. &^*%*&^$*$%!!
AND yesterday I discovered that my local TJMaxx has downsized their perfume section from a whole aisle to one measly shelf. $&%^&%$!! But never fear Donatella, I can still manage to do plenty of damage even without local bargain hunting.
Yes, I’ve noticed the great perfume slim down at tj max as well. Mostly cheap body sprays and off brand scents. I haven’t found anything to get excited about since I picked up Queen a while back…
I’ve been noticing that at my local TJ Maxx stores as well. Marshall’s has been slimmer pickings too.
smallflower.com still has Brazilian Mango Grapefruit in stock! Ulta might still have it as well.
WHAT???? they are d/c another one I really like…shame on you Pacifica!!!
Oh no! I was at Ulta today (more on that later), wish I had looked to see if they still had the Mango Grapefruit.
I have also noticed the TJMaxx and Marshalls slimming down their perfume inventory. Maybe it will pick back up around Thanksgiving??
No..it isn’t in ulta…not online and not in my store. they are only promoting the new stuff (new fragrances and the aromatherapy roll ons)
I was in Ulta today and saw the eau de missions line marked down in the checkout line. They only had a few of the small bottles left so I guess they are getting rid of stock and no longer carrying the line. That’s a shame.
Oh, drat!
yes, I am sad about that too
I noticed the same downsize at our TJMaxx. My theory is that no one wanted to buy the celeb. scents they were stocking. My store never had decent brands, even for mainstream perfume. Most of it had been there for a long time. Either they gave up or they’ll come back with a new and hopefully a better selection during tbe holidays.
That’s what happened at my TJMaxx as well! The men’s perfume section seems to be growing.
Sampling a couple of vetivers today– I have Tom Ford Grey Vetiver on one hand and Lubin Le Vetiver on the other. Conclusion–I’m still not a vetiver gal
Hi,
Have you ever tried more feminine perfumes that have a vetiver drydown?
I know its earthy note can be difficult to like. Too dry, too manly, too strict.
Vintage Habanita is so warm and bewitching.
I am back from a road trip to the South and I wore White Linen, its drydown has tons of vetiveryl acetate, which is in my opinion, the finest, most delicate note of vetiver. You might like it. It’s also very noticeable in Rive Gauche or Calandre …
Ah! thanks for that info…I too did not count myself as a vetiver fan but looking at your list are some favorites that I wore YEARS ago (White Linen, Rive Gauche and Calandre)…maybe I only like my vetivers in vintage form?
But don’t get me wrong. There are not what we would call vetiver perfumes as the vetiver is really used as a bottom notes in a floral or oriental context, yet very noticeable.
White Linen was one of my signature scents back in the day. I don”t remember a vetiver note so it really must have been subtle.
Wearing Chanel No.19, and it’s not working. I used to like it, but not having worn it in ages, I find I like it a lot less today. Too Chanel for me I suppose. I adore its distant cousin Heure Exquise though, so….
It is strange how we can fall out of like with a perfume, then like it again. Scent is very mood driven for me. It’s very annoying when you think you sprayed the perfect sotd, and it turned out all wrong.
Oh yes, that’s why it can take such a long time deciding what to wear–it’s unpleasant when you realize you’ve made a big mistake!
I have that relationship with no 19. I have a large decant and sometimes I sniff it and love it, and other times it just feels all wrong. Partly because it never really feels like a “me” perfume.
I think that is my problem as well, I admire it more than I love it.
I bought the Poudree version as straight No. 19 wears me, and not particularly well
I think you smell wonderful!
Hello,
For a minute I thought we were 08/11 already as almost everyone has already chosen a vetiver perfume !!!
It’s still very hot in Texas so I am wearing Imperial Tea by Kilian. Crisp, floral, I like its jasmine tea scent.
Can’t wait to see if one of you will be wearing my favorite vetiver ?…
Any hints???
I know Luca Turin doesn’t really like it but I love it. I think it’s a beautiful underrated
Woody Oriental.
I’m wearing my latest acquisition-
Sun di Gioia. It’s quite light, but still nice and warm. It’s been inspirational
I think this is the best of the Gioia line.
I’m wearing Le Labo Vetiver 46 today, which I think is in kind of the same vein as SL Vetiver Oriental, but a bit smokier and a bit rougher around the edges. I really like it.
And on my hand I have a spritz of my sample of Berdoues Russkaya Kozha. I actually like this one quite a bit more than I thought I would, from the initial sniff. When I first smelled it a few days ago, I got a big raspy/spiky wood note at first, and I thought, “Oh great, this is what they’re passing off as cade? Please.. I know what cade smells like and this isn’t it.” So honestly I wasn’t expecting much, but the spiky note actually quiets down after a few seconds. It’s mostly benzoin at first, but it seems to be getting a bit smokier as it develops. So maybe I can add one more to the “like” list.
You smell very nice. I wandered through Nordstrom’s on my way home last night, hoping the exclusive LL’s were in–they weren’t–so did a thorough re-visit of their Vetiver. Lasts a while, too.
Nordstrom’s = offsite storage
I’m jealous of your Nordstrom’s; the one near me feels like a Sear’s compared with yours.
Now that one as well as the newest( inspired by Africa) are the only two of the Grand Cru collection that i haven’t tried yet…I wonder if I will like Russkya as much as you do
If you like benzoin, you’d definitely like this. That is the dominant note throughout. I haven’t tried Maasai Mara either. It wasn’t included in the set. It sounds good, though.
I do like benzoin! I will have to give it a sniff next time I encounter it in the wild.
There is a new Le Labo store in Houston and I saw it driving past yesterday and realised it is right next door to the new Aesop store. I may try to stop by there today and then I can try this vetiver scent. I still don’t think I really know what vetiver smells like! Unfortunately that part of town is often congested and hard to park in, so I’ll have to see if I get lucky.
I know… I’ve driven by it but haven’t stopped in. I live on the west side of town outside the beltway now, so I don’t get over that way super often — just every once in a while.
I went there today and it is great! I had fun and the young SA there was so nice. I tried the two new city exclusives and LOVED Mousse de Chene (Amsterdam). I bought the discovery set with all the city exclusives in it. Did not like the Aldehyde one so much, but another one in there is the Benzoin one and it’s fantastic. I will have to report on them more once I have been able to try them all, but I am still feeling so light and happy with the oak moss on my arm! Plus the Aesop store next door is really beautiful. I bought their wonderful soap which comes in an ENORMOUS slab (enough for about 3 or 4 bars) and they gave me lots and lots of nice samples.
Lucky you…sounds like Houston is a Mecca of fragrant boutiques!
What fun! So glad MdC is nice.
Ah man.. I want to go, but the last thing I need to be doing is spending money..lol. And I know I would because I’ve been wanting a travel spray of Patchouli 24. The city exclusive discovery set sounds fun, and I’d like to hear your thoughts on them.
Apparently, I’ve been hit by the dreaded summer cold. Started out with a tiny spritz of Chanel Allure, which for some reason was just wrong. Heading to work now in Narciso EDP, which has vetiver in the base. Even though my nose is stuffy, I can still smell it. This really is one of my all time favorite perfumes.
My mom wears Allure. It’s not for me but I always think she smells good!
I think it works better for me in cooler weather.
So sorry, get better soon!
Oh boo! Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. It sounds like something icky is making the rounds…
Oh no!! Get well soon!
Not much vetiver in my collection. 2 samples I can think of: Bal d’Afrique which smells like cereal to me so have to be in the mood to smell like cereal, and Phuong Dang Believing which is a line I sampled at Barney’s a while back. Nicely packaged but wayyy over priced brand ($450/100ml of extrait only bottles). and nothing jumped out at me. The SA did give me a manufacturer sample of Believing and it starts out green, tart fruity, a little aquatic but then is all vetiver. Duchaufour is the nose. Reminds me of a Byredo, Mr Marvelous, maybe? We’ll see…
SOTD is OJ Frangipani which is smelling particularly delicious to me today.
Ha! The Bal d’ Afrique smelling like cereal! I had a couple of samples of that and did not like it at first but then really started to. I’ve finished them now and won’t order a FB but I liked my samples. So I guess I like smelling like cereal hahaha!
Nothin’ wrong with smellin’ like cereal ????
Scent twins, kind of! I’m wearing Bal d’Afrique–on my bare legs. Even though I like it I get sick of it after a few hours. Wearing it on my legs so that I just get wafts of it now and then works great. I think I’d prefer a soap or body wash in this scent.
I think a soap would be great.
I’ve never tried below-the-waste application. Will try it some time. And there’re many scents I would prefer as a bath product rather than as a perfume. I’ve been really into my scented conditioners lately.
I’m back in the D600 today, taking Hajusurri’s advice about picking out the vetiver in it. I’m at my hair appointment getting one last session in before I move and have to find someone new! So sad- I love my stylist! Been going to her for 7 years!
I’m hoping to try D600 this weekend when I visit the city where my mother lives. I liked the Carner Barcelona Cuirs . Your cross-country move sounds exciting and daunting. Good luck with it all
Hard to leave a good stylist ????
Good luck on the move, KellyC!
Wearing a spritz of Annick Goutal Vertiver. Today it is pretty comforting, even though it is always strong and kind of tough on me. I feel a little better today, but I have lost my voice almost 80%. Great! At least, I do not need to do any talking here at work and nobody will be annoying me. Drinking echinacea and lemon-ginger tea with honey. Counting the hours to be out of here
My favorite vetiver! I wish I’d bought a bottle before it was discontinued.
It is a really good vetiver!
that one is tough, but also cooling–I keep my decant in the fridge for the stickiest days….
Good idea! I might put my decant on the fridge too.
OH oh, lots of fluid. If you’re flying, if I were you, I would take a painkiller or two before boarding the plane so it kicks in before take off and pop what is safe during the flight. I once spent the better part of a 6 hour flight curled up in a fetal position because of the world’s worst earache from an emerging cold.
Oh no, your flying experience must have been very unpleasant and exhausting. We are not flying, but still. We will board the ship here in NY. I will definitely follow your recommendation and take some pain killers before the departure. My right ear is now in pain, but at least the fever is under control. I am taking antibiotics and they usually make me very tired. Wrong time to get sick, but I hope rest and extra sleep make me recover faster.
It’s still hot, dry, and smoky here and I’m wearing fifteen sprays of Osmanthe Yunnan, and I can only just smell it. I almost wore the bottle I got yesterday, Jacomo No. 9. It was a blind buy from the clearance area of Fragrancenet, and I was curious about the mango note. I am picky about fruity perfumes, but I like Pulp and Bombay Bling, and now I can add No. 9 to the list. It’s unusual and fun to wear. It will be better when it’s cooler, it’s not a “fresh and fruity” scent.
Fifteen sprays!
Wow! 15…..
It sounds like a lot but it’s not. Hermessences don’t stick to me at all.
Have you tried the others in the Jacomo art collection? I just looked them up and I like the design of the bottles – very cool ( unlike your weather ). Hope the heat and smoke calms down soon.
This is my first Jacomo. I know some people here have No. 8, and Kevin reviewed No. 2 a while back.
I own #2 and it’s a very unusual yet wearable fragrance!
Azemour today. Just what I wanted for some reason.
Yum. I think I will line that one up for Saturday.
Vetiver Friday here and I’m in a touch of vetiver essential oil as I don’t have any proper vetiver perfumes.
My booklovers / perfume project is going to be a week of matching a perfume in my collection ( to give the shop assistants a break ) with a poem. So, today’s poem is Vetiver by (American/contemporary) John Ashbery . Apart from the title there is no reference to vetiver in the body of the poem….which creates a bit of confusion though the words in the poem are simple enough, and sound good.
I’m off to visit my mum in ChCh – the last internet-free house in town. I will be driving through farmlands so expect to see lots of newborn lambs. Will check out perfume counters up there and have some fun.
Gosh, have not read Ashbery for years and years. Will go read Vetiver.
In rummaging through my samples for both Sycomore and Encre Noir (both of which I plan to wear tomorrow), I found my sample of Les Nez Let Me Play the Lion – so I’m wearing that in honor of World Lion Day. (I love the weird name.) Many years ago on a post-college bare bones Eurail-pass, etc, trip, I visited Kenya with a friend of mine whose brother was teaching there. We did see lions from a safe distance, but my strongest memory was of the night we camped in the game reserve and heard a lion’s fairly nearby grunting/roaring. It really rumbles and resonates right through one. I wasn’t afraid – but since going out of the tented enclosure didn’t feel like an option, I (of course) suddenly needed to pee…
That’s a pretty cool experience except for Murphy’s Law playing out on you.
That’s a wonderful memory! Thanks for sharing!
But you didn’t finish the story!! Did the urge pass, did the lion go away so you could relieve yourself? Did you have a chamber pot? Burning questions here!!
Feeling the same way. Enquiring minds need to know!
Oops – ha! Well, I know I didn’t go out of that enclosure so I guess I just tried not to think about it. Obviously, I survived!
Giving FM’s L’Eau d’Hiver another go today. I tried it last winter and found it meh, but I’m liking it much more in the heat, especially the wallop of black pepper in the opening.
Oh, another one I should line up for this weekend! Although I like it in winter too.
I am so glad it is almost Friday. It has been a crazy, exhausting week of work for me. I desperately need to catch up on sleep this upcoming weekend.
I really don’t have any vetiver fragrances in my collection. I honestly don’t even know if I like vetiver. My SOTD is Narcisco Rodriguez. I think this scent smells so much better on my mother than it does on me, but I still love it.
Hope everyone is having a good day.
I had a wild week, too. Today is my day off, and I slept several hours past my usual wake up time. I hope your weekend gives you much time for resting and sniffing.
SotM = Masque Milano Mandala spritzed from a sample
Mandala smells both spicy-warm and airy-cool at the same time. The resin and incense notes waft up in waves, a gone-then-back-again dance. The cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon remind me of an herbal tea I used to enjoy drinking both hot and iced. Wow, this is a great one.
Oh this sounds great!
It was already on my ‘to sample’ list, but just got bumped to the top
Definitely worth sampling, Mandala is dizzying in a wonderful way.
I was given a sample set from Masque Milano, a happy surprise, and I feel very grateful. I would probably not have a chance to try any of their fragrances otherwise.
Ah, adding to my sample list too!
“Vibrating at two levels at the same time.”
It really does. Mandala is one of those rare scents that approaches the histrionics of its ad copy. I enjoyed wearing it all day.
But it won’t go on my full bottle list because the far dry down has a not uncommon amber or musk or some such thing that smells like isopropyl alcohol on my skin. Oh well, money saved.
Oh, but that’s the best — something fun to try that you don’t need to buy.
Hermes Jardin Sur le Nil, again. Great in the summer heat, light enough to pass off as body lotion if someone asks at work.
In other news, last time i shaved my legs (sat am) the razor was dull, and my legs got bad razor burn. It’s starting to clear up, thank goodness. Itching skin is the worst, drives me batty!
Phew, just had to vent
You smell great!!!
Scent twin! It’s my go to in summer when I just don’t know what else to wear.
I hate that feeling..maybe applying so soothing lotion
I meant..maybe apply some soothing lotion.
Still sampling my nuit nomade scents, today Memory Motel.. sometimes I read about scents smelling like the inside of of a purse, I never really felt that way, until wearing this one, which could indeed remind one of an old discarded purse of a slightly hippie-sh aunt, who went to woodstock & co: leather, patchouli, maybe somewhat incense-y, interesting.
Oh, I like that effect. And like the name.
Getting my vetiver from Reglisse Noire…I think I am finding that my vetiver needs to be disguised in sweet notes ( Tibetan Mountain Temple, Indian Coconut Nectar, Passion Fruit, Orange Blossom & Vetiver and Reglisse Noire) in order for it to be tolerable for me.
My reglisse bottle is nearly empty, you’ve reminded me of its uniqueness, I might need to reorder one
It’s on my top ten list…definitely unique and so yummy!
Friday! Yay! It’s been a week of–well, weekiness. I’m happy to report that on the home front, the clutch of kittens is waking my Dakkie up from his long sadness. He actually gets up during the day to see what all the commotion is, and he sometimes gives a bit of passing kitten a quick lick as it speeds by. All of the knitted mice are missing –that’s a job for tomorrow; all the furniture will have to be moved– and Eric now controls the Pink Fur of Fate. It’s bigger than his head by quite a margin, but when he has it his mouth, he rules the world.
On the work front, all is perfectly horrid, but I have been serenely floating along with the rushing tide of change, smelling fabulous and keeping out of everything I possibly can keep out of. For today, Vetiver Friday, I’m joining Robin in Sycomore: it’s perfect for a dreary wet day and a dreary grey task at work. I find Sycomore a very grounding perfume. It is delicious from every angle and at every stage; it is adaptable to all sorts of outfits; most of all, I never forget I’m wearing it, so I am aware of my own presence in situations and perhaps more careful of what I say and do. So: it’s lovely AND useful. I should wear it to work all the time, as the new regime becomes reality….be well all.
I have really enjoyed wearing the Maharanih ( spelling from memory so might be wrong) sample you gave me. It’s somehow delicious and grounding – like your Sycomore. Of all your samples I like that and Coromandel best, with the Hermessences a close second. And La Pausa. So glad that Dakkie has got his purr back. Hope work goes quickly today.
“… so I am aware of my own presence…” Absolutely love it and I know I will often think of that expression again. Thank you.
You smell wonderful, and it seems that things are improving on the kitten/cat front. Nice to hear that Dakkie-cat might be getting his groove back.
Glad to hear Dakkie is getting his mojo back. Regime change is almost always unsettling and disappointing. New regimes seem to be really quick to dismiss what is good about the domain they are inheriting/conquering. The world is becoming a little too impersonal, in my opinion. One just has to hope that retirement will be satisfactory (in my case, still quite a ways off).
I’m loving hearing about all the antics. A woman I know took in 3 Persian rescue kittens and is only keeping one. It’s ever so tempting to add more but my husband is firmly tying my hands.
It’s almost Friday, and thanks to a fringe trim this morning, I have a fresh, unobstructed view of the world.???? Can’t complain. SOTD is Pacifica Persian Rose layered over a bit of VS Rose Violet.
Nice! Seems to be a lot of Pacifica wearing this week
Noir Epices yet again!
Listening to the sounds of lawnmowers and a chop saw doing their thing somewhere in my neighborhood. SOTD = E&J Nirvana Rose, from the sample stash. I think it was KellyC who inspired me to take another sniff at this one.
How do you like it?
I’m wearing Escentric Molecules Molecule 03+Escentric 03 – vetiver with citrus and spices.
Oh, gosh, forgot those! I should have worn one this week.
I was able to stop at a different Ulta today and they had the Pacifica Aromapower rollers. Overall, I thought they were pretty meh. All top note, abysmal projection. I expect oils to be close to the body, but these were practically non-existent on me. I can still smell them nose-to-skin after about an hour, but I don’t anticipate they’ll stay much longer. I suppose they could be good for someone who is really into the crystals aspect, or who needs something super discreet for work or whatnot.
Mind Control-lemongrass/citruses. Smelled like lemongrass and seems to have faded the fastest, can’t say much else about it.
PowerHouse-pineapple/lime/rose. Wierd fake cardboard cutout of pineapple. As it dries, I get perhaps a bit of a musty/dusty type rose. I really disliked this one.
Dream State-jasmine/lemon. A nice clean, pretty jasmine but pretty boring. I was wearing a few dabs of Fils de Dieu when I went in, and those 2 are close together on my skin and make a nice combo.
Hardcore Happy-tube/coconut/vanilla. I got no tube, just a sweet, slightly plastic vanilla, dried down is more like vanilla cake. Not bad for what it is, but pretty boring. I think their Island Vanilla is better.
Breathtaking-cardamom/vanilla. My favorite one but also fading fast. I just got my Kulfi, which is far superior, so I don’t need it.
So take THAT, lemming!! Eldiyen, 1. Lemming, 0.
I also tried the new Himalayan Patchouli Berry. Potent! Just a dab from the roller on my wrist and I can really smell it! Very fluffy white musky type patchouli — notes list “sugar notes” and it is indeed pretty sweet — makes me think of a vanilla musk oil I have, but with some cleaned up patch thrown in. At first I was thinking, “this is so not me, I want my patch dirty and earthy. This is probably just like the base of a bucketload of pink-tinged designer scents right now. Howww pawsitivelyyyy pedehhhstriannnn”
But…..I can’t stop smelling my wrist. And with my snobby little nose up in the air, I created for myself a new little lemming.
I like my patch dirty as well and will wear dark patchouli essential oil undiluted as a perfume….but, I also liked the Himalayan Patchouli Berry…I tested the EDP sprayer (the roll ons, I was told are perfume strength and a bit stronger than the sprays) and like you was huffing my wrist for a while.
and thanks for the mini reviews on the new roll ons…I am so annoyed at Pacifica right now for all of the d/c of so many of the scents I loved that I never even sniffed them when I was there!
You have reason to be annoyed! These new roll-ons don’t seem like worthy additions to the line when so many good ones are being d/c!!
I am seriously reconsidering my life choices when it comes to patch right now. How many scents have I passed up because I did the eye-roll when I heard “clean patch”?!?!?!
Only $12 for the rollerball! It’s going to by my kids-are-back-in-school present to myself!
Woot! I’m really amazed I didn’t leave the store with one. Such a great deal
There’s always tomorrow
Indeed! Although tomorrow I will have a 5 year old and 3 year old in tow. But it’s just one little item, what could go wrong? Haha!
Thanks for the mini-reviews! I had been curious about Himalayan Patchouli Berry. Now I’ll have to try.
Thank you so much for the reviews! I hate Ulta anyway so you have saved me a trip. But I guess I’ll eventually have to find the H. Patch.
You are all so welcome, it was my pleasure to try and help!
I decided to go sniffing today at Saks and hallelujah, Memo was having a gift-with-purchase, so I bought a travel set of Granada and got a travel size bottle of Eau de Memo. Yum.
Nice!
Wow, I should check that out. I love GWPs. I try to catch these promotions to make me feel like getting my money’s worth!
Wearing what’s left of my SL Clair de Musc decant on one hand and Ambre Sultan on the other and trying to decide whether to spring for FB’s. Budget has gotten tight this summer but I am hoping it will loosen slightly once my husband starts back substitute teaching this fall. Somewhat depends on how expensive car repairs to my steering turn out to be. I would love to get a new car, but recurring car payments are still more expensive in the long run than repairs, as long as the repairs aren’t too frequent.
May wear just a tiny spritz of Tibetan Mountain Temple tomorrow. I am not much of a vetiver fan and it may have to be after work since it’s a little too heavy for a medical office that is supposed to have a no-scent policy (but I still sneak the tiniest of spritzes of lighter scents).
Good luck with the car repairs. And keep sneeking those spritzes:)
I think you will like Carner Barcelona D600. Have you tried it? If not, I will send you some in the Fall.
So…if you are hankering for SL and if it is a bell jar, I suggest using Shopfranceinc as it will be cheaper. Email me for contact info.
I haven’t tried any Carner Barcelona. That would be great if you are able to send some. I did find Shopfranceinc on ebay. Let me know if there is a different way to contact them.
Took advantage of the weirdly mild weather (and the sample was in my desk drawer at work anyway…) to wear a gourmand today. Bottega Profumiera’s Gourmand. It’s not earth-shattering, but it’s pleasant enough, and I like that it has a no-hoohah-just-the-facts name. That is somehow soothing to my jangled nerves.
FearsMice! Unjangle those nerves! The weekend is coming up! I don’t actually remember ever smelling BP Gourmand but I am SURE you smell wonderful!
Kind of late in the day, but I’m now on my way to work. I’m wearing Lalique Encre Noire à L’Extrême, which is actually a lighter version of the original one, despite being called extreme. I prefer the original, but it’s kind of a lot to wear in the summer.
It is kind of a lot to wear in the summer, and boy, didn’t realize until now that the Extreme was available pretty darned cheap too.
My work hours are kind of screwy, and I’m never sure what day it is, as my days off rotate. Was thinking it was Friday last night and so was wearing a vetiver. I’m off tonight, so maybe I’ll wear a different vetiver tonight.
SOTD = Jo Loves Pomelo
(and Angel – smelled in the wild and some got on me because copious amount of Angel)
Vetiver. CHECK
Pomelo has vetiver in spades. I got my bottle as part of the Jo Loves Shot Box Discovery Set program. For years I had been lusting over trying Jo Loves perfumes, especially since they were inaccessible in the U.S. except through evilbay or exhorbitantly priced decants. Imagine my delight when an NSTer mentioned that sample sets were now available to U.S.-based customers and of course I ordered one immediately. Basically, you get a beautifully-packaged box of 10 samples and a coupon for a FB, all for $160 for 50 mLs. (Or 100 mLs although I did not look at the price for this size). The FB of your choice (from one of the shot box samples) is then shipped to you at no additional charge. I ultimately got my bottle from the boutique in London since I was there over New Year’s. My samples had travelled to several NSTers so I effectively got more value for what I paid!
http://www.joloves.com/us/catalog/product/view/id/313/s/fragrance-discovery-gift-experience-100ml/category/7/
Commuting Woes, No. 376:
Why do people insist on crossing their legs on the train? There’s not much leg room to begin with and hello, it causes varicose veins. Anyway, with 2 people on a 3 seater, perhaps there’s room if your legs are as long as your arms or you sit diagonally. With 3 people on a 3-seater, THERE IS NO ROOM TO CROSS YOUR LEGS, especially where you cross them ankle to knee (vs. knee to knee). At least she wore pants…I’ve seen skirt-wearing ankle to knee leg crossers (nope, I don’t care how pretty your underpants are).
Commuting is surely a test of the nerves, isn’t it?…
The Pomelo sounds wonderful! Fellow commuters should be grateful to you.
Sometimes, commuters do not even appreciate your perfume, especially when a dirty, smelly homeless person riding the train complains about the 2 spritzes of Chanel No. 19 you are wearing…
I remember that story! What a terribly upsetting, discouraging start to your day that was… You smelled perfectly wonderful, of course, but the person probably had issues we couldn’t begin to fathom…
I do not see myself crossing my legs ankle to knee even if I wear pants. Awful! This morning: a guy was reading the newspaper wide open and the woman sitting next him had her face almost slapped by the pages everytime he turned them over. She looked annoyed, but never said a word……… hello!!!!!
At the moment I dont have to commute for work. And i feel so blessed!!!
But I did for quite a while and your experiences are so recognisable, even though I am from a different country. Weird and rude folks are everywhere
Thanks for the tip on the D600 by the way! I think I was able to pick out the vetiver in it yesterday. It is really nice and I loved how I still caught whiffs of it even yesterday evening.
Amouage Dia Man. It’s so good, and I think it’s because it has loads of iris and labdanum, for softness and warmth.