We're celebrating the last day of September with our standard open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you're planning to buy in October, whatever. (And don't forget, Donatella will be dropping by on Tuesday!)
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is hibiscus clouds [cropped] by Clyde Robinson at flickr; some rights reserved.
Workout then SJP Covet.
Wanted to ask if anyone has tried the new Jason Wu EDP yet? Excited to hear thoughts. And if anyone has a sample to pass on… I can always send stuff in return.
I posted this earlier in totally the wrong place (where no responses were allowed). Sorry Robin! I’ve had my coffee now.
No worries! I will have a review of it over the next couple weeks. I did not love it but hate to comment more until I’ve given it a better shot. I will say that it stuck me as very conventional and much lighter than I expected after all the stuff about being inspired by the jasmine of his childhood, etc. But reasonably pretty.
Light, jasmine and pretty are all good for me – conventional not so good. I will watch for your review and some place to test it. Thanks!
I agree with Robin, it is a light fragrance. My initial thought was if there were a jasmine Hermessence fragrance, it would be like this. I liked it enough that I will look for a tester again.
Thx – I like light and jasmine so I am interested.
That’s a high compliment in my book, to compare it to a Hermessence!
me too, I love many of the Hermessence fragrances. I would like to try the Jason Wu scent again to see if it was wishful thinking or if there is something very nice there after all.
I’m wearing new La Parfumerie Moderne Belles Rives from a generous sample I got from brand founder at Pitti Fragranze earlier this month.
It’s a gorgeous iris, buttery, powdery, creamy & floral one.
I think I need a new perfume that will suit better an autumn/winter time. Most of my wardrobe is light, elegant fragrances. There are few exceptions though, but probably not enough.
Oh this sounds good. What other Irises do you love? I gotta get me a sample of this one
I do love Prada: Infusion d’Iris, Infusion d’Homme, Infusion d’Iris Absolue, Purple Rain. Also Le Galion Iris, Aedes Iris Nazarena, Atelier des Ors Iris Fauve, Chanel 28 La Pausa (despite it’s ultra short-lived on me)
I’m guessing you might prefer La Pausa EDT but have you tried the EDP please? The EDT is so darn fleeting agreed…
I did not try Edp. We don’t have Les Exclusifs in Poland, so I am only familiar with Edt from samples someone sent to me couple of years ago
Not available at Twisted Lily yet, oh supreme enabler,
Just a matter of time then
Let us know what perfume you decide to add to your collection for fall/winter.
I will, you can be sure
I didn’t know there was a new one; sounds great. I love Cuir X and have a bottle.
That would suit autumn/ winter very well!
Do you mean Cuir X?
I find it very close to PdE Cuir Ottoman & I happen to have that one
I read your enthusiastic reaction to Belles Rives in your last report, I think, from Pitti, but it isn’t available in the U.S., is it? Your description was tantalizing.
Yes, I praised it in my Pitti report. It’s a very new fragrance. Maybe it wasn’t officially launched yet. Just check regularly if it arrived
I think twisted lily is phasing this brand out. The stock that they have has been discounted
They said it sold poorly. But I think Barneys might still carry it.
I am happy to mule ship a bottle from Poland. Or maybe I will split it.
Happy Saturday everyone! It’s a cool, sunny, perfect fall day and I’m celebrating with a precious favorite, Satellite Padparadscha. I’m on my last hoarded decant, boo
You smell great!
Mmmmm! Yes!
You smell great, and so nice to see a mention of SP!
ringthing, you inspired me to use post shower, so now we both smell great!
Ooh, I like that one! I never managed to get my hands on a decant or bottle, but I distinctly remember thinking that I wanted to.
Having a quiet and relaxing weekend at home. The temperature today will not be higher than 66 degrees and it is cloudy and windy. Fall is here.
Drinking a cup of Trader’s Joe pumpkin spice coffee and wearing CB I Hate Perfume Gathering Apples. Trying to get into the fall mood now!
Yum to your coffee!!!
Inspired by you the other day when you were all pumpkin! We got some pumpkin and apple stuff already to be on theme with the season!
Gathering Apples sounds fun and perfect for fall. What’s it like? When I was a kid, family friends had a Halloween party every year and served fresh donuts and spiced cider. Hermes Ambre Narguile conjures those memories for me so I always crave it right around Halloween but don’t wear it any other time of year. Anyway, Gathering Apples made me think of bobbing for apples and Halloween
It smells of plain fresh red apples and a light wood note in the drydown. It is very simple and fun for this season.I will add some to your package! Ambre Narguille is a beautiful but a deeper perfume.
Oh, thanks! I wasn’t planting a hint with that, btw
lol
My pleasure!
Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I never recognized caramelized apples in AN, which is one of my favorite scents
I totally see it now!!
I am going to have to try that ….Gathering Apples scent. I saw it in the top 10 fall fragrances a few days ago. It definitely peamed my interest.
Give a try. It is simple and fun.
edit: peaked not peamed
(note: don’t know what’s up with all my typos today)
Piqued?
You’ve painted a picture of a beautiful weekend. Enjoy yourself! ????
Thank you! You too enjoy your weekend!
How do you find the TJ Pumpkin coffee please? I have tried Dunkin Donuts and find it a bit too spicy…I could make it and cut it with regular coffee not unlike an unethical drug dealer too I know… ????
Not a big deal of a coffee. It is ok, pleasant. I do not find the spices overwhelming at all. The orange peel adds a nice touch. I usually add some creamer.
Sipping coffee planning a low key day.
Still have dregs of Satori on bathrobe, such a lovely scent.
I am not a Lush visitor, the store gives me a headache when I walk in, but I have tried and am now addicted to Sleepy. I usually spray my pillows and sheets with lavender or sleep spray and Sleepy is a nice addition as body lotion with magical powers.
Anyone else addicted to it?
I’m not a Lush visitor either. It does not smell good in there, but worse yet is the horrible bright lighting and music so loud I can’t think. Most department stores aren’t much better, thus I’m not one to go out and test perfumes in person. I can’t block out the distractions enough to smell anything.
So no, I’ve never tried Sleepy, but I do love a sleep spray (last night it was Mona di Orio Musc) and a body lotion for sleepytime sounds fantastic. I was hoping the Tauer Rose oil would be that for me but it wasn’t quite what I was wanting.
I like Sleepy but usually I forget to use it. Thanks for the reminder!
I was recently in a mattress store that sold pillows scented with lavender or coconut. They smelled great!
yummy!
I’m a fan of Breath of God, but do agree . . . the store can be overwhelming.
Sleepy was a little sweet when I tried it in the store, but I got a sample anyway. I’m glad I did, cuz it was nice when I tried it in the relative quiet of the house. Not sure it’s a purchase for me yet since I have a couple of pillow sprays and lavender lotions already.
My package from Lush arrived yesterday; it contained 3 jars of Sleepy.
I bought L’Heure Blue today. Both in parfum (so hard to apply!) and PdT to spray liberally when I want to.
I owned it some years ago but then I decided that it was too sweet for me and settled on Vol de Nuit.
But it’s been so cold here this week that I went straight to the store with Guerlain counter and liberally applied L’Heure Blue in parfum and it’s been haunting me since…
I still find Vol de Nuit to be more “me”, but L’heure Blue is an equivalent of a desert that you crave sometimes. I wonder if I won’t end up buying Mitsouko by the end of autumn (which I also owned but found to be too sour on me)…and the monstrosity that is Shalimar =)
Yes, autumn is the hardest perfume wise. Suddenly all cold and dark.
I also bought like 5 huge and colorful eye palettes and I use eye shadow maybe once a month.
I have only recently tried Vol de Nuit, after loving L’heure Bleue on first sniff years ago. I think of them as kissing-cousins–a heavy dose of guelainade in both, I guess! L’HB is strictly a spring scent for me, though. Don’t like it if the air is too heavy or warm.
My bottle of Mitsouko is old-ish (80’s?) and the top notes are gone. I only learned to appreciate it after buying a vintage decant that was in good shape. Now I can suffer through the first few minutes and look forward to enjoying the cozy, fruity, spicey notes when they take over.
And I’m a Shalimar-in-summer lover–go big or go home!
I love VdN in summer and early (still warm) autumn. It develops properly only on hot skin.
L’HB is for colder months I guess.
And I never gave Shalimar a proper chance. I applied it liberally once and I guess the weather or humidity or something was so wrong that I felt suffocated. I have to revisit it.
No, no. You were probably suffocating. Not all of us want to be enveloped in a cloud of vanilla and barnyard.
Fall is one of my favorite perfume seasons! Makeup-wise, I always find myself gravitating toward taupe-y eye colors and neutral rosy-mauve lips – a look I don’t do outside of fall. It’s an autumnal thing.
Me too! If there is a taupe, or mauve, or “greige” in the name I’ll be drooling over it =)
I find autumn really easy in terms of perfume choices, but I suspect that might be because there are so many I can’t wear in warmer weather.
Hello NST! Long-time-no-sniff! What’s news?!
I am enjoying wearing my fall scents as the weather has “cooled” to the sixties and seventies these past few weeks, and we’re finally getting some rain–wearing lots of Mitsouko, BB Nude, and Jacomo #8.
I’m sure I’ve missed out on lots of sniffing news–I haven’t even been lurking in my absense. Hopefully October will lead to more down time and I can hang out a bit more often!
No scent, yet, but likely I’ll end up in tea again today–Jacomo #8, or if I’m feeling bolder, Tea for Two. Something cozy.
Hi! *waving*
Nice to see your post.
*waves back*
Good to “see” you! I’ve been wearing a lot of Jacomo #8 this summer, too. It does not disappoint!
It is pretty, and easy to wear!
Hi Marjorie Rose! Nice to see you. Its been the same for me. Im been dropping end and out; more out than in though. I am hoping I will be in more in October as well.????
Edit: in not end
Hope your life settles down, too, then! It is too bad when we are too busy for these little pleasures.
My vote – Tea for Two: I think it’s perfect for a rainy day.
I do really like it! However, sometimes I end up smelling like I smoke cloves cigarettes in T42, and I’m not always ready to deal with that.
I keep seeing references to Jacomo #8, so I just ordered a bottle unsniffed. I hope it is a great fall/winter scent.
If not, I’m sure you could easily swap it away! If you know T42, they are very similar. On me, the chai tea base starts in the same place, with more soft musks in J#8, and more smokey tobacco (like good pipe tobacco) in T42.
I’m in the same boat. Commenting a little and trying to do a quick scan daily so I don’t miss anything momentous.
No question I’ve missed news these past few months! It feels a bit overwhelming, so I have decided not to try to catch up. Hope your life allows for more frivolities soon!
Nice to see you again!
Thanks! Nice to be seen.
Waving to you from across the ocean!
Hiya!
*jumping up and down and waving so you can see me*
Cold and rainy today and I am in Trouble.
You smell great! Nice new picture!
Thank you
Nice fall colors in your avatar!! ????
It was time for a change. I have so many photos in my photo gallery taken by the younger CM8s that I decided to mix things up every once in a while.
Change is always good, and embracing it is even better.????
You are so right
Love the wording on that one.
Hee hee! and there is some truth to it
I almost didn’t recognize you in this new outfi… I mean, avatar
It looks very season appropriate.
Hope I did not disappoint you and hajusuuri by switching out my three eyed owl…I will go back to it eventually but with the change of weather I thought this avatar was more seasonally appropriate
I mentally switch it to the 3-eyed owl :-). This one is very nice, too. I lovemFall. I wish it is Fall all year long (of course, then, I’ll probably get sick of it).
You are so funny!
Actually my favorite season is spring…the problem with fall for me is that I am always cold!
Hi everyone!, a working weekend for me. I took my daughter to Sephora this morning. My store seems to have cut down a little in the perfume dept. My daughter’s Christmas list is all makeup. I’m trying to get ideas of the prices and then wait for the VIB sale. I sprayed a little Gabrielle, but will be wearing Atelier Jasmin Angelique for work. It’s sunny but cool here.
What did you think of Gabrielle? I have only smelled it through a scented page in a magazine. It smelled nice (for a Chanel scent – I’m not a huge fan). But, not sure how it will be on skin.
I think I’ve tried it 3 times now. I like it better each time. To me it smells very pretty and flowery. On me, it doesn’t last very long.
And longevity is always a determining factor when it comes to me purchasing a FB. I want a fragrance to last for hours on me,
I am wearing Prada Candy (dabbed).
And I look forward to the lily week. Love the scent of lilies, have seven lily fragrances but will probably wear five. Despite Luca Turin’s opinion, there are times when I want to smell like flowers. Maybe if I lived surrounded by real flowers, I would not crave for their scent so much.
Oh, and today is the International Translation Day.
I want to smell like flowers pretty often as well.
I am wearing a drop of Mohur extrait thanks to the swapmeet. I am loving it a lot.
Staying home, doing a little bit of closet cleaning and practicing my new acquired love, calligraphy . Tea of the day is Marco Polo.
Have a great weekend
Sounds like a nice day! I am at home as well, cleaning and baking.
Ooh, I love calligraphy as well. I first learned at an evening program at a local high school; while my dad was at a bookkeeping course, I was doing the calligraphy course. Over the years, I had addressed wedding invitations, anniversaries and the place cards for each event. Fun stuff!
I’m trying Concrete today. I think I expected something more similar to Odeur 53, but this is like Santal Massoia (which I love) if it weighed 500 pounds. I’ve never had a fragrance feel like it had mass before. (I’m sure that makes no sense!). Very interesting!
I hope everyone has a relaxing and refreshing weekend. The temperature has dropped here (it’s still in the 80s, but I’ll take what I can get), so it feels a tiny bit like fall may be somewhere around the corner.
Love that description (Santal Massoia if it weighed 500 pounds)!
Sistine, is that a comfortable 500 pounds or get me out from under this weight 500 pounds?
It’s like “the winter duvet and 4 extra blankets when it’s -30 in January” heavy – extremely comfortable, but you feel it.
I actually quite loved it. Which surprised me on an 80 degree day.
Okay then, sample is needed.
Thanks!
Ok, with this description in hand, I’ll go back to my sample of Concrete.
SOTD is the long neglected l’Artisan Safran Troublant. Mm-mmm good!
Donatella, I’m ready for you! And in another bit of shocking news, I was channel surfing the other evening and saw Iris Apfel on HSN!!
I love how famous Iris Apfel has become. Go, girl!
So good!
My next FB purchase.
Actually tried to buy at Bloomies this week (in SF) and it was not one in the collection they had.
If you have Netflix, there’s a great documentary about her and her husband. It’s adorable.
I watched it and enjoyed it myself…..and love her last name….apple in German.
mmm…you DO smell good
Cool and windy here. Trying to finish off some decants so I am in Gris Montaigne.
Happy happy weekend!
Wearing SL Un Bois Vanille from a swap with a wonderful NSTer. Yum
Yum! ”Tis the season for vanillas!
One of my favorite vanillas! You smell great????????
I’ve got so much to do today but no motivation to do it. Currently reading the NYTimes book review section, enjoying some coffee and thinking about what fragrance I might wear. My husband is doing the laundry… ????
What a great hubby!
The best!
Nice morning!
I am having that problem too! (Well, really I have that problem every day. But worse on Saturdays generally.)
Agreed on the motivation. Perfume is pretty much my only consistent motivator.
Wow, September just zipped on by! Parfum Sacre on this beautiful sunny day. Enjoy the weekend my fellow fumies!
It really did. It feels like I was mourning the end of August just last week. If only winter would fly by!
Oh, hey – did you want those Tauers? I never got an email back from you.
You smell elegant. Parfum Sacre is beautiful.
Thanks for the reminder! Emailing you now ????
SotD is Bat, by Zoologist. From a sample.
Its a damp cave, i can almost hear water drip in the distance and I feel like the temperature has dropped slightly haha
What an amazing idea…I dont know if I can wear this daily, but at least its something different.
My husband says it smells a bit like tuttifrutti (in The Netherlands those words are used to describe dried fruit, you find mostly apricots, plums, apples in a bag of tuttifrutti)
I like Bat because it is different I like the hint of fruit it has. Now when I smell it I will think of tuttifrutti!
It seems to me that Bat is best in spring and fall. If it is too hot, I find it nauseating and too cold it seems wrong to me.
Trying AG Songes and Le Jasmin both for the first time…more Swapmeet spoils…smelling great I am.
Yes, you are!
Songes and Le Jasmin are both lovely…lovely enough for me to research how cheap they are on the discount sites. ????
And I was already thinking about two other bottles from discount sites earlier today…seems irrational to be buying 4 bottles of perfume in somewhat a fell swoop, doesn’t it? Or is it the most rational thing you’ve heard this week compared to our continuing irrational U.S. news? ???? or maybe I am contemplating more perfume because it soothes the soul in such troubled times? Need to ponder and sniff my forearms more…
It doesn’t seem irrational to me at all and maybe you’ll save on shipping costs.
Happy Saturday Everyone! Just got back from the doctor’s office because I was feeling bad for the last couple of days. They thought I had the flu. Luckily, it was just bronchitis and an upper respiratory infection. So, because I work at a school, I made them give me a flu shot. Its (flu) supposed to be really bad this season, so not taking any chances. SOTD is Lady Vengeance by JHAG. Enjoy your weekend everyone.
Oh no! I hope you feel better soon. You smell great!
Hope you feel better soon. I got a flu shot this week at work. Someone was telling me you should ideally get them later in the season to prevent it from wearing off I guess but i have too many things to worry about in life than the perfect timing of my flu shot…like how I might get my greedy paws on some reissued Iris Ganache as referenced in a post below. ????
Wore vintage no 5 extrait this morning and since I have showered, I’m not wearing anything. I might go the Epic route today or FdB. I probably should go Theorema. Too many decisions.
Oh, maybe I will put on some Theorema, what a good idea.
In Habanita edp from the swapmeet. It is just delightful. The sillage is gorgeous, even if I don’t love the smell right on my skin as much. It has an elegant aura that seems perfect for dinner and a show. Not sure which kind of show, though (we have season tickets to 4 or 5 organizations – symphony, musical theater, straight theater, big band.) I feel like it might be perfect for a play, as long as it’s not a modern comedy. Could work for a jazz show, too, maybe? I like to have designated perfumes for performances, after having chosen the wrong thing too many times and being distracted/annoyed. lol. It also makes getting ready easier, as I’m usually running behind.
So I had the oddest experience yesterday. I got a decant of Gianfranco Ferre Ferre in the swapmeet, which I’d been wanting to try after hearing it compared to FM Iris Poudre. Iris Poudre did not work on me at all – it turned sour and unpleasant, with no iris and no powder.
I sprayed the Ferre on the back of my hand yesterday morning, and indeed it reminded me of IP – a bit sour, no iris, no powder. Later in the a.m., I happened to cup my hand near my nose and got this lovely waft of powdery sweet iris. Huh? The Ferre had leaked in transit, and when opening it up the leakage got all over my fingers. I smelled the back of my hand to compare but it still smelled a bit sour, etc.
WHY would perfume smell different on my fingers than on the back of my hand?!?!
In other news, my H & I spent yesterday together after having an early a.m. thing to go to. He wore Atelier Rose Anonyme, and man did it smell good on him. Wafty soft woods – totally different than it wears on me.
And in other-other news, a 30 ml bottle of Black Perfecto is mine! I knew I could count on you enablers to tip me over the edge
I’ve never (intentionally) smelled any version of LPRN so am keeping an open mind as to the contents 
(I bought it on ebay – there were a few other bottles but all 50 ml iirc.)
ph is different on different parts of our skin. It’s very acidic behind the ears for example and I never wear perfume there for that reason – turns sour.
Yay, congrats on your Black Perfecto purchase! I hope you enjoy not just the bottle but also the juice
I tried a green version of LPRN (I forget which one that was) and found it nice enough–I’d wear it if I already had it, but would definitely not buy it.
I haven’t tried different parts of the hand, but definitely notice how scents change from skin to hair to fabric application. Oftentimes I intentionally spray all three, as I like keeping the different facets playing with each other throughout the day.
I decanted Black Perfecto this weekend and I finally “got” the leather, more like suede. And, would you believe, surprisingly, one little decant from my newly acquired Neroli Outrenoir lingered longer and is still hanging around 24 hours later — not complaining, just surprised about it since LPRN gives an aura of more stickiness than the Outrenoir.
I’ve decided that I need to choose from my decants more often – I’ve lost a few to the evaporation gods recently.
SOTD is from my decant of 31 Rue Cambon, which is lovely. Not really me at all – it’s really for someone much more smartly dressed and well put together than I am – but is such a nice chypre that it makes me feel good to know it’s there. Speaking of chypres, I wore Safari to my volunteer job the other day and one of the employees there – a woman in her early 20s – sniffed it and said, “that smells…..good, I guess.” Probably the first chypre she’d ever smelled.
31 Rue Cambon is my favorite Polge’s creation, even La Pausa comes only second =)
It is so warm and cheerful and sunny for me! And it lasted for two weeks on my leather watch strap. I think I want to own a full bottle. And I’ll wear it with t-shirts and jeans =)
And I’d love to own more chypres. I’m finally a grown up in that area))
I have to organize my decants to be able to choose from my decant collection.
Damn Rebel Witches today (from Reek Perfume, and made by Sarah M of 4160 Tuesdays) to go and lift some heavy things, and then walk through town on a day that went from such glorious sunshine it looked like it was setting the autumn leaves on fire with the brightness, to torrential cold rain, and even hail. (So heavy it was setting off car alarms, and ugh, I had to walk two miles home in soggy, squishy trainers.)
Now home, bathed, and back in dry clothes, and wrapped in a fluffy scarf and a fluffier grey cat, I’m thinking it’s reached the time to break out the Chergui…
After all of that? Yes, it’s time for some Chergui!
Soggy shoes are the worst! Ick.
Eau de Camille, sprayed this morning and now I can’t smell anything but it was great while it lasted! Thanks to the swapmeet.
I know there was an NSTer reading Spring Snow and was wondering how it’s going ?
The rain is coming , NYC is gray and fall is here
Love eau de Camille…sad that it is d/c
I know! Why oh why?!
Its very beautiful..
Charlotte, the sister scent is also nice for this time of year.
Still, all in all, Songes is my favorite
Do you prefer Songes EDT or EDP please? Wondering how they differ? I am wearing the EDP today and it is beautiful. I think I tried it a long time ago in another life. Makes me wonder what other AG stuff I should seek out now. It seems the line was more popular several years back and more accessible but maybe too much perfume has glutted the market in the last decade too. ????
HA! True!
Honestly, I have both the EDT and the EDP and I can’t tell the difference. Maybe someone else can comment? I bought a bottle of the EDP and I am half way through it. I think I bought it at some point this year! Goodness me..
Songes was a not a first love for me, but a slow love affair.
If you were to try anything else I think maybe you would like Heure Exquise because you are on a Iris kick. I don’t know others from the line other than what I got during the swap: some decants of other scents I will try out this week.
I have Songes EDP and EDT. To me the EDP is a bit richer with more vanilla. Love them both and wear the EDT in the summer and the EDP in cooler weather.
There’s a definite chill in the air today, so it felt like a great day for Arbole Arbole. It had a whiff of olives on application that I’d never noticed before though I wonder if I dreamed that up based on the colour?
I’m having bottle lust for the black La Panthere bottle in today’s lemming post, and also for Black Perfecto that I saw on Sephora. I’m pretty sure I’d never wear either of them so trying to use my better judgement, but Oh Those Bottles!!
I have never given La Panthere a proper wear. Hmmm, that black bottle may prompt me to do so.
I’m in TDC Tokyo Bloom, from the swapmeet. It’s lovely, but competing with the borracho beans cooking away in the instant pot. Good grief, I love that contraption, if only for how well it does beans . . . and rice.
Checking interest: I have a bottle of SL Santal Majuscule, purchased in May of this year. I’d like to split the bottle at about $27.40 per 10ml. I purchased it from a boutique that chose to not carry SL anymore. Anyone interested in participating in a split?
Borracho beans you say…I’ll be right over. ???? I’ve read about the instant pot. Do you find many uses for it?
I’d love to have you over. Beans and cornbread for the whole world!
Yes, I love the IP, but there is a learning curve. I’ve made beef stew, BBQ brisket, chicken for tacos, chorizo and pinto beans for nachos, salmon, boiled eggs, rice and beans. I’ll never make boiled eggs, beans or rice any other way.
The only issue I’ve had so far is making sure I purchase a cut of meat that is small enough for the pot.
Hope this helps!
Yes thank you! Sounds like it’s a very versatile appliance. And cornbread also, yum!!
I bought one to make bone broth with, and it is great, saving me much time. Friends tell me you can make the best cheesecake in an IP and that there are competing recipes all over the Internet and a FB group.
I woke up way too early this morning so I got the dinner chicken brining, the mushrooms cleaned and sautéed, and the household chores done. There were not enough days in the week to wear all my skanky perfumes, so I am carrying on in Salome today.
I’m reading The Unwomanly Face of War, by Svetlana Alexievich, an oral history of Soviet women in World War II. It’s both horrifying and riveting.
She is an amazing writer/historian, isn’t she? I just finished her oral history of Chernobyl. Again, riveting and horrifying.
This is one of those books that stay with you many years after you read them.
Adding it to my list!
I am finishing up Border (victoria on BdJ give a great review of this one) and next on my list is How Proust can change your life by Botton. A friend picked this up for me after I apparently talked about Proust so much after reading one of his novels, so she saw this book and thought of me.
Oop, didn’t realize today was freebiemeet day. Clearly I wasn’t paying enough attention.
SOTD Vanille Incensée after my morning swim, during which I cracked my four-month-old Apple watch on the concrete around the pool
I’m not as heart-broken as I would be for, say, a phone–much less of an emotional attachment for a gadget I bought for myself that I use almost exclusively while swimming–but I’m upset at the money lost.
I also did not post any reminders — so I wasn’t paying enough attention either. Sorry!
Bummer! You do smell good though!
Unrelated: what a wonderful avatar image you’ve got
At least you smell great.
Morning the loss of your watch.
Confession, I have been for many moons a loyal apple/mac person. I will even tell you I name my computers and waited in the long line when the iPod was first released. The Mac Air I have right now is called Macaroon.
Kelly Caleche for the first time in a while. I’ve missed her.
Fighting either a cold or allergies. Can’t tell yet. The husband woke me up with a coughing fit in the middle of the night. He’s now laying on the couch switching between football and golf, while various cats fight for position somewhere on his body. The oldest girl was on his lap, then the big boy jumped up so she moved onto a table gave him the stink eye. A few minutes later, and the boy is in a different position by his legs, and she’s back on the lap. Now the youngest girl has joined them and is on his chest. And I sit, by myself, in a chair. Should I take it personally?
Maybe your husband has fever and the cats chose the warmer body. Hope you’re both feeling well soon.
Hah! Thanks. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. He’s kind of a cat whisperer….
Saturday! The sun is shining!
I was awake before the sun, but forced myself to stay in bed until I could hear the sound of the university’s marching band pre-game practice. A sound that is synonymous with fall for me.
Made a target run and then walked through Macy’s to try Ralph Lauren Woman on skin. What I liked on paper is definitely too sweet on skin. I haven’t really been drawn to a RL fragrance since Lauren in that gorgeous red bottle with the gold cap. Even that has been reformulated into a shadow of it’s former self.
I think I might need to scrub.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Love your new avatar
Thanks! Ditto!
We actually kind of match, right?
I have the same experience with RL. After Lauren, nothing worked for me. I tried Woman just to see, and like you said ok on paper….
Pretty much the same with me. I liked it on paper, but it became “perfumey” and pungent on skin. I do love the bottle, though.
A wet and blustery good morning to you, NST. I’m behaving with intense self-indulgence right now–it’s 8 (eight!!) o’clock in the morning, and I’m still in bed. In fact, I just had breakfast in bed, and I have a quiet kitten on my knee. Titus started off in the Sphinx position, but now he has his paws curled under in that position of complete relaxation and comfort cats sometimes adopt. He’s obviously thinking beautiful thoughts, because he has the riniest purr vibrating through him. I’m desperate for a second cup of tea, but I don’t want to disturb all this feline contentment.
SOTM is Fate, which the dear man handed me from my directions.: ” Top shelf, on the left. No, the left SHELF…the purple box. With gold on the front. No, love, that’s Beloved, and the box is pink. Yes, it is, bright pink. No, PINK…that one’s Lyric. Yes, I suppose it does look a little purple in this light, but it’s actually a dark red. Yes, thank you, that one. No, the one you had your hand on before. Thank you…. no, I have no idea what proportion of the overall cost of perfume is in the packaging. Why not? I never think about it. Yes, probably a lot…no, I don’t think the box constitutes misleading packaging. Well, because it’s Amouage, and their perfumes aim to have an almost physical presence. The box is part of the presence, and I expected the bottle to be small in proportion. No, I deliberately bought 50 mls….” and thank goodness, he had recorded some rugby and he wandered off to watch it. I’m exhausted. It’s too early in the morning to deal with the non-perfume mind on the subject of perfume!
Be well, all.
This made me laugh out loud. Thank goodness for sports. I imagine my husband could say something similar wth with respect to his obsession with his Fulham football team and my pretense at interest….
Loved the story!
I would have a similar problem with my Amouages had I tried going for beige/gold/light box in my instructions.
Holy Crap – Guerlain is re-releasing Iris Ganache:
http://www.monsieurguerlain.com/2015/09/iris-ganache.html
In 2017, Iris Ganache has been reissued exclusively for the Guerlain Parfumeur boutique at place Vendôme in Paris, to be had in 125 ml coloured bee bottles or 20 ml travel atomizers.
Wow!! Thank you for the heads up!
Very interesting…thanks for passing this along. I try to keep up with Monsieur Guerlain but some weeks I fail.
I never smelled that one..confess! how is it?
Bloody brilliant
While I definitely haven’t smelled every lipstick/iris scent out there, this is the one that captured me immediately and I knew I had to have it. Just the perfect, perfect lipstick scent with a chocolate-y facet and perfect Guerlain drydown.
Wow! Now all we have to hope for is that it still smells the same as it used to.
Where would one acquire a Paris perfume mule I wonder???????
Wearing Jo Malone English Oak and Hazelnut. This is a total wood and all base fragrance, and I am enjoying it. The hazelnut aspect adds deliciousness.
Anyone having problems with PayPal shipping today? I usually use the multi-order shipping tool but I got an Error 404 message.
hi there, weekenders, you smell fabulous.
I’m wearing one little spritz of Masque Milano’s Luci ed Ombre on my left arm and Romanza on the right. A tiny spritz of L’Attesa (such a great iris) is wafting from a strip of paper on my desk. The air around me is shimmering with prettiness.
I was happy to see this a few days ago:
https://kottke.org/17/09/jane-a-national-geographic-documentary-about-jane-goodall
Click over to watch the movie trailer if you’d like a few moments of distraction with Jane Goodall + chimpanzees and music by Philip Glass.
If someone had thought to do a movie of Jane’s life a few decades ago, Tilda Swinton would have been perfect to play her. She probably could do it now, such is the power of Swinton.
Red Alert! Red Alert! (unless of course, I missed this and Robin already posted about it) I just got the Lush winter catalog in the mail and Rose Jam in both shower gel and perfume will be back, and FINALLY Cardamom Coffee perfume will be sold online and “in select stores.” Take my money, Lush!
Nice. I am curious about Rose Jam perfume…I never got to sniff the perfume when they had it before but I have a some Rose Flash and am wondering how similar they will be. I find the Rose Jam shower gel quite reminiscent of Rose Flash.
I originally bought Rose Jam shower gel some years ago, after all the raves RJ got here. I ordered it online, as I can’t get to LUSH shop and I hate the overpowering smell of the shops.
I must be one of the only people who doesn’t love it. I guess I sort of like it, but it’s too sweet for my taste.
I did not post about it, but I knew RJ was coming back. I think it has come back every year, right? Glad to hear about Cardamom Coffee!
I started the day in Fille en Aiguilles, but it very quickly died under the onslaught of work smells (mostly kitty litter. yuck). We have two kittens boarding for the weekend and I’ve already had to replace the litter in one kennel due to a water/food bowl launch, again for overuse in its intended capacity, and a third time because someone flipped the entire box and scattered litter across the room. That was after I gave him a clean box when I got there. I’m considering driving back up there to check on them this evening to be sure he hasn’t dumped the non-tip feeder again.
I’m home now, showered, and in real-people clothes, and wearing a big dose of Jub 25. I can still smell that horrible clay litter. Obviously scarred for life.
Kittens and their toilets! Alexander has now been seen using his dirt box with all four feet ON THE RIM! He perches to pee, In fact. Of course, it lurches forward when he gets off. If it spills, he surveys the resultant mess with mild interest–no evidence of guilt at all–but mostly he’s successful in his dismount, and then stands outside the box to do his “clean cat” act and cover up his activities. We’ve never had a cat for this before, but how I wish we could train him to use the human toilet…
Behold, the CitiKitty as seen on Shark Tank:
https://www.citikitty.com/pages/how-citikitty-works
Hmmmm…I feel sure that if we told Alexander we wanted him to oblige us in this way, he would instantly and perversely revert to normal cat habits. I’d love our cats to use the Shark Tank thingy, but the chances are very slim that they will oblige. I’m deeply grateful that they don’t use the pot plants…
I’m a huge fan of Jackson Galaxy and I have five cats (and a giant Leonberger dog). Jackson is completely opposed to human toilets for cats. There are several companies that make those kinds of “train your cat to use the toilet” devices.
Happy weekend NSTers! Cafe Tuberosa again today. I was perusing Sephora online and noticed it will soon be available in the travel size! That made my day, I definitely plan to get it once it’s available.
Has anyone smelled anything from Ellis Brooklyn? It is available on the Sephora website but doesn’t appear to be in stores. A couple of them piqued my interest.
There’s a clothing boutique near me that sells them. Nothing stood out for me but I don’t remember being repulsed by anything either. The one I remember best is the rose one since I sprayed it on skin. It was a light, fresh rose, inoffensive. I have that covered already with Pacifica Persian Rose which I like more.
Cool – thank you for the input!
Chilly and grey here today which was perfect for doing laundry. Heading out shortly to the Oddities Flea Market/exhibit. There’s a shop in the East Village of Manhatran that sells all sorts of odd objects, a lot of which are taxidermy. They did a reality series called “Oddities” a while back about the shop which I binge-watched during hurricane Sandy. Recommend to anyone who enjoys eccentricities-people and objects alike!
SOTD is swap-booty Penhaligon’s Elixir layered over Aftelier Ancient Resins body oil. Nice combo. Donatella can thank my enabler Petunia who sent me a surprise sample of the Aftelier! It’s really good layered with Ouarzazate, too.
You bought Ancient Resins? So glad you like it but the pot is calling the kettle black! ???? Do you remember I bought Calypso during the summer thanks to the decant you sent to me. Your enabler pin is shining brightly. Darn, forgot about that one.
I did ???? I loved the Ouarzazate combo so much, that I needed more. Helps the longevity of the CdG, too. So I guess we cancel each other out and have nothing to confess ???? I thought you returned the Calypso, though. Wasn’t it a splash edt with a problem cap or something?
I bought another bottle from a different source. I originally ordered from Fragrance.net. They sent a splash bottle with the cap taped on. It was obviously used. It arrived broken and the perfume leaked all over the packaging. The bottle was empty. To top it off, they didn’t refund postage. Not too happy with them. I think they changed from Fragrancenet to Fragrance.com….
Ah, yes, now I remember. I’ve never ordered from fragrancenet, but that’s a bummer. It’s nice to jave a full bottle since it’s a fairly quiet scent and doesn’t last super long on me.
Oh, I do not think I have tried layering those 2!
Both are great combos!
Here’s a question I hope you can help with. Travel perfume. Small spray bottles are not very airtight. My wife loves to bring perfume when traveling. She bought her beloved Cierge de Lune during a visit to the Jovoy store in Paris. The SA decanted a bonus portion from the tester into a very cool travel spray bottle but after a few weeks the juice had largely evaporated. (Doh! What did I expect?) My question: I am guessing perfumes in roll-on applicators are good for travel and solid perfumes must be good as well. Can you suggest good perfume houses offering fragrances in those forms, or other suitable small formats?
hi donnie! I adore the 15 ml bottles from Hermes.
I think Undina wrote a post earlier this year on her blog about houses that sell small bottles…
ah ha! found it!
https://undina.com/2017/03/23/know-how-brands-with-perfumista-size-bottles/
Le Labo carries a rollerball they call “liquid balm,” which I’ve been eying for awhile in Lys 41. It’s $90.
ElisaP sent me some of that. It’s gorgeous!
I think it was Ylang 49 I sent you. I still have the Lys sample. The Lys is a BWF.
Read that wrong. Yes, you’re right. ????
Andy does wonderful tins of sample sizes and larger “explorer” sizes of Tauer fragrances. Both are made with quality sprayers and bottles.
Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. I knew I’d get something good to work on. And to Crikey, thanks! Because I knew I would probably also get exhaustive information from this crowd. The post you dug up does not disappoint. I see Le Labo is offering solids as well.
Aroma M makes oil rollerballs of her perfumes. I have a couple of them and enjoy them a lot. Maria Candida Gentile also makes 15 ml bottles which are small enough for travel. And there’s the Frederic Malle travel sprays, Ormonde Jayne discovery sizes from her website…
Memo Paris does travel sprays, too. 15ml.
My sample of ELdO SM arrived today. Totally surprised. It’s as if I dabbed a super tiny bit of Perfect Veil on my hand. I just get a light floral musk – weird isn’t it? Although I’m getting a slight headache from it.
SOTD: beloved woman
At least a fair number of people have that reaction to SM. And I truly think that skin chemistry might play a part in it.
That’s really interesting. ????
yoga practice in the early morn, (the shala really is great—the view is the ocean. as I was finishing, there was a beautiful pink sunrise with one lone sailboat) breakfast with my husband and pup at my favorite cafe, (eggs with leeks and a cappuccino) and a long walk along the coast.
this afternoon it’s bracken woman for some errands.
and this evening it’ll be shalimar for dinner out.
Happy Saturday!
Your day sounds like fun!
Sounds like perfection!
Went out for a manipedi and lunch with a friend today. I wore Alaia because she gifted it to me and it was perfect for a cold, windy, cloudy day.
Has anyone tried the OPI polish, Diva From Geneva? This may be be my new favorite fall color.
My friend brought along a sample of Heart of Darkness from Providence Perfume. We both spritzed and then parted ways. It was quite nice but only lasted two hours. I wasn’t surprised since it is a natural perfume.
After it faded I was craving more by this house so I ended my day in Rose Boheme. It’s so nice to wear my heavier scents!
looked up that color! Great! You nails are ready for fall…
I don’t usually bother with a manicure because I destroy them in a few days. Cleaning, etc. I changed my mind after seeing this color.
Today I wore Tauer PHI Une rose de Kandahar from a small decant I just found the other day. This one is very beautiful! I think it’s my favourite by him. I’m not a huge fan of any of the others; in fact, my other favourite is Incense Rose. I used to love Reverie au Jardin the most but it seems whenever I wear it, I go into unstoppable sneezing. Sad!
PHI is indeed beautiful. You smell great!
I like Phi. The other two perfumes from the line that work great for me are LDDM and Une Rose Vermeille.
Calypso, have you tried Guerlain Neroli Outrenoir? It has that tobacco-ey vibe that I like in PHI except it is paired with orange blossom and it is really not from tobacco but from smoked tea.
No, but I’ll put it on my list!
Is it the same smoked tea note that’s in Gourmand Coquin? It’s your descriptions that have me dying to try it
I don’t recall a smoked tea note in Gourmand Coquin. I will wear it tomorrow and report back.
Wore Coromandel today and had the nicest conversation with a woman at the grocery store who commented on the perfume. I told her about this site; I hope she checks us out!
Basically did nothing all day, which was great!
Doing nothing all day really is the best!
Trying our Byredo’s Super Cedar today. I hated it at first spray, then kinda liked it after an hour or so. I sprayed on a bit more before I stepped out this evening, and . . . nah. I also briefly tested Rose of No Man’s Land and didn’t care for it, but I have a friend who loves it so my sample will have a good home.
Slept in today after staying up late yesterday to finish a book. Started my day with Twilly, which I’m not a fan of. It’s pleasant enough, but generic floral is all I’m getting. Having a much better experience with Dark Horse right now.
Rabbit rabbit rabbit! Autumn is here, and I’m among those who love it. Had to drive up to the Seattle area and back yesterday, and wore Vol de Nuit extrait for comfort during the journey. The trip home was a little dicey – as the sun was going down a huge rainstorm blew in, and the combination of low sunlight glowing through the plumes of spray coming from the rear tires of the cars around us was beautiful but treacherously blinding. It’s good to be home today with no need to go anywhere. No scent yet, but today I will retrieve my fall/winter scents from storage and choose something warm and cozy. Happy Sunday, all.
Ended up in L’Ambre des Merveilles – forgot how much I love it!
ha! I was just going to comment that we all forgot to say rabbit rabbit rabbit this morning!!!!
I did, but it was technically not the very first thing I did upon waking up.
Forgot to mention yesterday that I really like the kaleidoscopic hippy trippy photo for this weekends post! Smell Bent Gypsy again. I’m glad some people are getting a bit of autumn. Still summer here. Blinding sun and oppressive heat. Gypsy smells like an Oriental, but is light as a feather in the heat.
Glad you like it! There are tons of kaleidoscopic hippy trippy photos on flickr
After wearing Jicky for the community project, I had a hankering for more lavender – so I thought it was a good chance to try to figure out, which of two versions of Kiki I prefer – EdP or parfum. I enjoyed the test but haven’t arrived at the conclusion. I definitely prefer EdT in the first couple of hours but later, when it is already gone, parfum stays with me for many more hours. Will test again.
You could always wear Lieber Gustav
You’re joking, and I came to that conclusion twice before – during the previous tests. On their own, I like all Kiki versions but compared to Lieber Gustav, I would always choose to wear LG.
I tried them all and decided on the parfum of Kiki.
After today’s test a lean towards the EdP: with the size of my perfume collection I can afford to re-apply the one I like more when needed vs. going for the one that lives longer but which I like less in the opening. That’s if I finally decide to go for it: I might still go for Mito
early morning hike with JM blackberry & bay for this first day of October.
coffee run.
JM wild fig & cassis candle.
made cherry poppyseed waffles and sausage for breakfast.
next on the agenda is my weekend self-facial routine.
Happy Sunday!
Your weekend plans sound blissful. And that breakfast!
You really know how to do a weekend right, Elizabeth!
Another perfect day.
Hello from Monday morning, NST. I’m bounding off to work wearing a determined expression and spring-weight clothes. I’m grimly resolved that SPRING IS HERE, just see if it isn’t. My scent today is Odalisque, all those grown-up, sexy flowers, yummy. My outfit is very plain, but I really like the combination of an elaborate perfume with a very straightforward dress and little black cardigan. I could’ve worn Misia to the same effect, I suppose. Maybe tomorrow.
The kittens are in riot mode. They flow like a river through the apartment, occupying its space at all levels. I felt something touch my hair yesterday, and when I looked round, there was Eric on the top shelf of the bookcase. At that vantage point, he could easily stretch out a paw and pat the top of my head as I passed. I don’t know why, but I hadn’t thought of that. The vet is worried that the kittens don’t get enough “environmental enrichment”. I’m not. Everything is a game to them, and they are clever about turning everything into a toy. Alexander loves to tow things about, but I’ve had to draw the line at my bras. He clambers into the laundry basket to get them out agin, though– all part of the project to distract me while Titus and Eric do something really naughty. They are a joy.
Must face day-wards. Be well, all.
So we went to that Oddities flea market and we came gome with a few goodies: a framed taxidermied bat (doesn’t everyone need one?), a ring made out of watch mechanisms for my husband, and for me a scent from Bloodmilk Jewels Exquisite Corpse made for them by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab called Belonging to the Darkness. The scent corresponded to a certain jewelry collection (they had a scent for each collection). Interesting to smell something without having a clue what the notes are. It smelled kind of choco-chouli to me. Earthy, cocoa, mossy, a hint at something floral. I researched it later and it’s aged pachouli, tuberose, lotv, musk, white moss. I really like it-it’s in one of those 5ml apothecary vials. Wearing that now. The jewelry from that Bloodmilk brand is really nice but more than I wanted to spend right now. I’ve never tried anything from BPAL but have perused their website many times. It’s always a little too overwhelming.
Beautiful day here: sunny and just a little cool. I’m thinking I’ll wear Ava Lux Bogemian Rose later which is a lovely resinous rose and perfect for Fall.
https://www.bloodmilkjewels.com/products/belonging-to-the-darkness-part-ii-labradorite
I would have wanted this ring…
Love Labradorite! I am wearing my earrings today. The perfume sounds lovely. Both the BPal and the Ava Lux sound perfect for fall!
Oh, and if I have a bat in the house, I’d rather it be a taxidermied kind. ????
Haha! I’m not worried about live ones around here, though the cats would enjoy that!
Labradorite is a beautiful stone and some of the colors are mesmerizing
BPAL has some great offering but yes, a whole lotta choices!
Have you tried any? I know Snake Oil is the popular one.
Oooh, I watched the Oddities show on OnDemand! I seem to recall an east coast version and a west coast version, but anyway…that ring is purty. I have a soft spot for Edgar AlAlan Poe and the aesthetics of this line match that type of darkness.
I don’t recall the west coast part, but anyway it was a fun show to watch.
Yes, I love all things dark and macabre. The crowd at this flea market looked like I was at a Halloween party!
I spent all of last week in Chanel’s Bois des Iles. Today, I’m wearing my long-neglected Etro Paisley, which is soft and lovely and quiet (unusual for me. I love loud scents.)
A dutch perfume shop sent me their mailing, in which they mentioned being the first to launch the Le Bienaimé brand. I was curious, because they were offering a fragrance composed of many Chanel scents plus other things. I looked at their site and then googled Le Bienaimé.
(Robin, if it’s not permitted to post the URL, please forgive and delete it.) http://www.lebienaime.com/
They are calling themselves the first “upcycle” perfume house and creating mashups of brands for specific types of scents at lower prices. I am curious, but have mixed feelings about what they are doing. I’m surprised this is even permitted by the original brands!
That is actually a brilliant idea – I wonder what will happen when the big boys, Chanel and Guerlain, tell this company to stop. But it’s different than the decanting services because the product is mixed. If nothing else, I get layering ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, my first thought too!
I’m thinking it will provide guidance during reeking havoc week. ????
Good to see you, Jonette! I am more curious than bothered with the concept. I also wonder what the brands can do legally. I can probably do my own mash-up and talk about it on NST without fear of reprisal (from the brands) since I am not profiting from doing so.
A quiet Sunday, lounging around the house. Started in Mitzah, switched to vintage Coco for evening.
You smell good all day