PSA: our Tauer giveaway is still open!
Today, our usual open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your last great bargain find, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Kaleidoscope based on Milkweed Seeds and Plant [doubled] by Anne Worner at flickr; some rights reserved.
I am wearing a sample of the old school masculine fragrance from Caswell Massey, Tricorn. It’s fantastic. A sandalwood/amber with vanilla sweetness – reminds me a bit of vintage Obsession for Men by Calvin Klein. I thought this was officially disco’d, but when I looked on the Caswell Massey website today I saw that they actually do sell it in a mini bottle, as part of a set of 4 x 15 ml bottles called the Heritage Cologne Sampler. Link here, if you’re interested (I am not affiliated with Caswell Massey): https://www.caswellmassey.com/collections/mens-fragrance/products/heritage-cologne-sampler
Fun! Are you wearing the new or a vintage sample?
Vintage!
Thanks! Wonder if the new one is as good. So many things with sandalwood are “less” now.
I’m wearing Lolita Lempicka. It’s a little much after yesterday’s 10 Corso Como. Too sweet, too powdery, too something.
I used to love this one. Now, more often than not it’s too much, which makes me sad. At least I can enjoy the bottle!
Same for me, it’s just too much. I have also developed a problem with violets in perfume – I don’t really like them the way I used to.
Hi NST family.
I am wearing Citta di Kyoto from Santa Maria Novella today.
In Poland today we celebrate our Independence Day. There are a lot of happenings in Warsaw and many manifestations (including negative ones). It’s also a Saint Martin day and in Greater Poland we eat occasional ‘rogale świętomarcińskie’ on that occasion.
goo.gl/vJ1vLN
You smell great! I love this SMN one.
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence day! Enjoy!
Thanks everyone
Independence from whom? And belated cheers on the occasion!
Those rogale świętomarcińskie look delicious! :^)
Hapoy Independence Day, Lucasai! Yes, I read about some of those negative manifestations. Disturbing.
I tried Citta di Kyoto fotmr the first time recently and it was quite lovely.
Happy Independence Day…a day late but the sentiment is there.
I’m wearing Stash today (a great bargain) for a morning at the humane society followed by a visit to the Pacifica yearly warehouse sale, where everything is $1, $5, or $15. I’m looking for Christmas presents because I don’t need anything, I don’t think.
You smell great! I think I’ll do the same post shower for a chilly cloudy day in LA.
My bottle of Cuir de Russie has arrived. Great fanfare.
Enjoy your new bottle purchase. I have yet to try CdR
Thank you. I’m just going to admire it for a bit before opening next week.
Your restraint is impressive. You’ve worn it before? Did you have a decant of the edp that you used? I’m always interested to hear other people’s CdR stories, since it holds such a special place in my heart. I love that perfume.
I also really, really love the Chanel bottles. All of my bottles are great except on ONE of my 75ml Sycomore, the ‘head’ of the sprayer is a bit too high up and falls off. Very odd. I have tried compressing the spring to no avail.
gvillecreative, you could probably exchange the bottle with the faulty sprayer. OTOH, if it’s not the current EdP, you wouldn’t want to do that. I think the EdT and EdP are rather different.
A lovely nster sent me a sample of cdr.
This has been a year of restraint for many things.
Nozkoz, there are too many replies imbedded for me to reply to your comment directly–
Yes, sadly the sprayer that pops up is on an older bottle of EDT, so swapping in a store wouldn’t work (the EDP is yuck in my opinion).
So jealous that you are near the Pacifica warehouse…do let us know what goodies you acquired at discount..I cannot imagine anything selling for a dollar from Pacifica!
Lip balms were 2/$1. If you are a fan of Tuscan Blood Orange, there was a TON available in all forms, leading me to suspect discontinuation, packaging change, reformulation, or they just made too much. There was a lesser amount of Moroccan Fig stuff, too. I bought a Frankincense & Fir candle, some microdermabrasion cleanser, a mask that seems to promise I will look 25 after using it, and a little sampler set of facial products as a gift. Total spent $25 and I got a free cloth shopping bag that is really sturdy.
CM8, I thought of you as a passed a bunch of Marzipan candles.
those lip balms retail for eight dollars (I think) so that is actually a really good price…and what? another fragrance on the chopping block? I am surprised about Tuscan Blood Orange as they seem to keep their fruity and sweet scents and discontinue the woody/aromatic ones. The holiday candles were big several years ago…they were limited editions and every year there would be new scents…then about three years ago they stopped making them and seem to be downsizing the candles on their website online (my local health food store which was where I always bought the candles and fragrances no longer carries the candles and the rest of the line is getting smaller and smaller in offerings) I had forgotten about that Marzipan candle! I bet that Frankincense & Fir candle smells divine! Sounds like you got a nice haul for a great price..enjoy all of your goodies :0
I love Stash! I just found a gift set at Marshall’s for $30 with a 50ml bottle, the body oil, and a rollerball. I’ve been loving the oil as a post-shower treat.
Those Marshall’s gift sets are awesome- I got the 50 ml perfume and oil in mine.
I was contemplating getting another but i still have my original 30ml bottle, half full. Not necessary yet.
While taking a shower, I put a couple of drops of oil into the bathtub (with a closed drain) and it smells divine in my bathroom for the next 24 hours.
Great tip!
Stash is really a good scent IMO. I never get tired of it.
You must have crossed paths with my niece who has been looking forward to that sale all week!
November has been of 24 Faubourg edp vintage. My first bottle was from 2001, and I was reminded of how lovely it is after getting the vintages. I had been wearing one I bought in 2007. Oddly, the two I recently purchased had the batch codes removed – but they are legit and definitely vintage, and from 100% feedback sellers. (The sellers did not remove the codes). Not sure why the codes were removed?
Do the sellers you purchased from sell samples? I was reading the Kafkaesque post about 24 Faubourg, and the description of the vintage sounded nothing like the scent I had smelled from the tester at Sephora.
That post pushed me into buying some vintage 24, Faubourg, since I had been COMPLETELY unimpressed by the current stuff (okay, for full disclosure, it was in like 2010 so not even current). The vintage EDT is just gorgeous, it really is.
Hi everyone!
I am suffering with some crazy allergies this weekend. This temperature drop really did a number on me.
So I’m wearing MFK’s Aqua Vitae, bracing citrus, jasmine, and gaiac wood. Thank God I can still smell it.
So sorry! Glad you can still smell something though.
Thank you! I went to my doctor and she recommended Flonase (in addition to some allergy meds), but the last time I used it I lost my sense of smell for three days. I’d rather suffer through my stuffiness.
I would too! (And thanks for the warning, someone recommended I get Flonase for my son.)
To be fair, it was the generic and I do know some daily users who love it. But yeah, 3 days in and I couldn’t smell tea tree oil!
Oof. That’s kind of scary. I periodically use generic flonase and it does impair my sense of smell but only for like 1/2 hour since it lilac scented or something and that’s all I can smell after using it.
I actually realized after my third dose of it that I couldn’t smell that very distinct and strong metallic lilac smell! Then I panicked and tried to smell everything in my house. I had a legitimate panic attack at 4am.
Feel better Coumarin!
Thank you!
Coumarin, if you’re in the northern hemisphere, I think the change in temperature and dry air when heating systems start to run full time are hard on the nose. I try to keep my place as cool as I can stand it at first.
I really hate central heating but my boyfriend can’t survive without it. Good to know I’ll have reason on my side.
I really sympathize. My hubby wants to keep the thermostat at 75 in the winter and I can’t tolerate it.
I have a small humidifier/essential oil diffuser on the way. Hoping it helps.
Hope you feel better but you smell great!
Jardins de Bagatelle today and Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen to match.
Has anyone started to play holiday music? I am guilty.
Made a ginger latte today, trying to re-create the one I had a Candle Cafe. Mine came out great! This doesn’t have coffee..or tea..just milk, sugar and fresh ginger. I added a little ginger powder on top of the latte to make it look more “professional”.
I am at home with two sick little ones while my better half is traveling for work.
Also will have a friend from the land of the wooden shoes visiting, I am hoping they will bring Stroopwafels when they arrive.
The only bargain I can think of is is the sale at Clydes. I bought way to much stuff there, and I am still sad its closing. I haven’t gotten lots of skin makeup advice from that store over the years that has really helped me a lot.
Stroopwafels for all, yay!
Sorry about Monkey and Buddha, a long day for you.
No to Christmas music but that true for most years.
This is first Thanksgiving without my mom,
I knew last year when I helped her into bed in her Christmas jammies and kissed her goodnight that I might not see her alive again. And I did not.
I am so sorry apsara, I can relate to your pain and loss. This morning I looked at pictures of my Dad when he was in the military, today is Veterans day in the USA and he is a veteran of a foreign war.
Holidays are really tough without loved ones and its important to give yourself a little more love and be gentle with yourself. Try to stay connected with loved ones, and know what you have and who you are, are always enough <3
S., thank you for the perfect wisdom in your last sentence. ????
Your welcome <3
I am sorry Apsara. I understand you. I lost my father this year and the holidays for us will be very tough. Sending you hugs.
Hug back. My dad has been gone for 10 years now. He loved the holidays.
Sending you a perfumed hug, apsara.
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
My sister ( who is fragrance free) and I are very close indeed and we are planning a fun week in nyc where we grew up. Cafe Reggio here we come!
Enjoy! NYC is so fab this time of year even with the temperatures. The smell of the air in autumn is something you just can’t bottle up
Hugs Aspara! Hope you and your sister will have fun in NYC.
I’m so sorry for your pain right now. Sitting in my car, crying for all of us missing our parents this Holiday season.
I’m so sorry for your tears.
My deepest sympathies Aspara- I (just recently ) lost my Mom as well. Like you I wondered last Christmas if we’d share another- knowing the answer, and feeling sadness at the resigned acceptance. . This will be a tough holiday season. I wish you the peace and comfort only a mothers love can offer. She is still with you, a Mother’s love never dies.
Big hugs to you, apsara. This is the first Thanksgiving without my mom as well, and it looks like many of us are in the same boat. What a beautiful idea to mark the holiday with a step toward joy, yet it’s also a look back at your history. I hope you and your sister have a lovely time. ????
Hugs to you, Aspara. And such a bittersweet memory of her last holidays. Glad you and your sister are doing something fun for yourselves. And Cafe Reggio was my attempted first date in 1995 with my now husband (he couldn’t find it and I thought he stood me up- before cell phones and google maps)!
So sad Aspara. I know the feeling. I lost my Mom many years ago and I still feel sad about it and miss her a lot. Holidays have never been the same without her.
Hope the kids feel better soon. I’ve actually been listening to some holiday music this year.
ltsg, I hope your sweetie pies feel better soon. And I hope they are taking long naps!
I hope that your little ones feel better soon! Maybe your friend will bring you some wooden shoes along with the stroopwafels ????
No holiday music for me, but I’ve been burning a holiday themed candle- sort of a foresty frankincense and spice.
yum! that sounds like a great candle!
Berdoues Arz el Rab…for some strange reason rather than uber cedarwood (which is how it has historically performed for me) today my skin reads this as a cocoa woody gingery iris almost bordering on the gourmand…really odd..but I really like it…wonder if it is the cold weather? Any of you familiar with Arz el Rab? if so, how does it perform on your skin?
Cm8
You smell great! I have Arz el Rab and it smells woody gingery.
I often layer it with another Berdoues.
Which one do you layer it with???
Oud al Sahraa
OOO! i have a full bottle of that one! thanks for the tip! I am going to try it tomorrow!
Well, technically the bottle is not mine but since I gifted it I am entitled to steal some of it
Well, just a technicality.
Spray away!
Aspara-
thank you…this combo is divine!!!!
How how nice!
On my skin it is set and woody. I wasn’t a fan.
Ha! and I thought you would like this one because of the iris! I don’t know why it is smelling the way it is but I like it so I guess I should count my blessings? or maybe I am a wood bomb and don’t even know it!
I’ve only worn it one time and it ended up being a scrubber on me because it smelled overwhelmingly like Pine-Sol. It sounds lovely on you, though! I’m bummed it didn’t work with my body chemistry because I love the idea of it. Maybe I’ll give it another shot since it sounds like your experience changes from wear to wear.
Interesting…your skin picked up “pine”…I don’t get that on my skin…yes, most definitely retry it …also, in different weather…how it smelled last spring is different from the cold weather of autumn…
I’m in one of my new Miller et Bertaux samples: Bois de Gaiac et Poire, AKA the more whimsical “Close Your Eyes and…”. I’m really liking it, although maybe it’s going a touch soapy? We’ll see about the final verdict.
Can’t wear anything too heavy, because I’m off to the NW Chocolate Festival in a bit.
CHOCOLATE!!!! eat a whole bunch for me
Okay. I mean, if I have to. ;0
The struggle is real.
LOL!
yum!
I have been to chocolate festivals before and found that they have some odd combinations, let us know what you try and what is yummy
I am looking to buy a good hot chocolate to make for the kiddos. Something that is rich but without all the sugar and artificial nonsense.
I like to buy a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Ghirardelli, and make my own, especially since I prefer mine very dark. Then you can decide for yourself which type of milk, how much sugar (or stevia), cinnamon, or any other additions you prefer.
Droste’s cocoa powder–add your own amts of sugar & vanilla extract. Might have that today…
You also reminded me to dig out 2 of my fave Christmas cds: A Very She & Him Christmas and Christmas with the Smithereens.
Perfect I will give these a try!
Excellent. Now I know where I’m going on vacation next year.
Great! You can buy tickets ahead of time for one (you can choose either one) or both days and you can choose VIP if you want – a few additional but not absolutely necessary perks. I highly recommend going in as early as possible or waiting until early afternoon. Our mid-morning drive was a nightmare of a long line. But for the ticket’s price (we didn’t buy VIP), we got tons of free samples, some great classes, a chance to chat with a lot of indie chocolatiers and lots of fun! Other items were available for sale as well. We really enjoyed it.
Awesome! Thanks so much for the information! There’s always a sweet spot when it comes to arrival time at fests. Ba da boom.
PSA: there are quite astonishing prices for Amouage Beloved on fragrance.net and Notino. (No affiliation.) Christmas is coming!
I have been trying to talk myself away from the edge of getting Encens Mythique on the discounted site. I would love love love a bottle but I don’t need need need a bottle. The struggle…
I have a bottle. It was no struggle. American Express.
HA! I will confess if I pull the trigger
My only struggle is how can I pass up a backup bottle of Beloved at that price. I could always gift or swap it.
Did you go for it? I am very tempted too! I am happy to make a few decants if I get the 100ml bottle, it’s for sale for $141, so 10ml for 14.1, with shipping, etc – I could do 10ml for $20, if interested you can email me at
a cal der aio to the geeeeeee male
listen, i spent all morning making decants of perfumes we own in full bottles (I included several from the CM8 household) to justify my past full bottle purchases…I will use these as small gifts and stocking stuffers…I got some really nice/fancy 5ml metal perfume atomizers with “diamonds” from amazon so they will look pretty….not to enable you, but you could hypothetically do the same
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0PCEPE/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1
Could not find the “diamond” studded ones but found these which are equally as lovely.
That is really quite tempting. I love that perfume.
It’s so versatile, too.
It’s so fancy and so STRONG. 100mls would last a lifetime.
Yes! I can’t imagine 100 ml of that. I think my manufacturer sample will last me a lifetime. Very pretty, though.
Sampling Shalimar Parfum Initial and Guerlain Boise Torride today.
Both discontinued. Le sigh.
If anyone wants to rehome some Parfum Initial do let me know please.
I shall have to compare this one to Shalimar Light…some similarities methinks.
If you need a home for PI let me know
Ahhaha. My comment was unclear. We both are looking for some Parfum Initial. ????
I would be happy to send you some Shalimar Light if you haven’t tried it…there are some similarities I think and it is good stuff.
ah! ok, sorry I can’t help you!
PI is so lovely! I quickly drained a carded sample, but kept the empty as a reminder….
Hello, NST. I’ve been missing from the village green because of damn bloody technology. Our wireless and phone have both been off air, no clear idea why, but I keep pointing it out to our provider, and they keep sending me civil little messages saying that “my problem” (isn’t it their problem and my inconvenience?) has been resolved, but to contact them if there are further issues. There are, I do and they say what they say, and so we go. Grrrrrrr!
Anyhow. Life has been busy (usual stuff, plus That Student) and fragrant. I’ve been wearing lots of the last warm sweet woods of a cold spring: Black Cashmere, Dries van Noten, Bois des Iles, with some classic aldehydic florals for good measure: Numbers 5 and 22, and on one glorious day, the Elephant in trumpeting triumph. Thank goodness for the comfort and distraction of perfume.
On the kitten front, The Stripies grow apace, both physically and in their imaginative domination of our apartment. Most days when I get home, it looks as though a twelve-legged whirlwind has been through the place. Alexander tows his blankies everywhere, and does his best with our bed linens too, so there will be odd bits of fleece in random locations, and our duvet will be on the floor; the knitted mice will have had a workout and be EVERYWHERE, Eric’s Collar of Destiny will be draped over the empty food bowl, and assorted plastic toys will litter the floor, the bookcases, the pot plants—wherever they’ve ended up. The kittens themselves will come in a flood around my feet, purring and telling tall stories of their day and reaching up to have their hard little heads rubbed and their ears pulled gently. I love it. The Stripies have closed on 4 kilograms; Eric is still a little white neon-waft at 2.9. We are gradually settling his tummy down now that the giardia is defeated, so we’re in a long process of probiotics and dietary trial-and-error. We’re on rabbit at the moment: he loves it, but so do The Stripies, so we have to fend off rievers while he eats…all is joyful chaos, in other words.
Goodness, what a burble. I must go and finish the housework— yesterday I played too much, and I still have lots to do. I’m going shopping with my HoS this afternoon: we’re buying a new kitchen, and she’s looking for outdoor furniture. Should be fun. SOTD for this enterprise is Ninfeo Mio. It’s lovely. It’s also an expression of hope for our sadly recalcitrant weather. I wore a summer dress on Friday —well, it is November, after all— and froze, simply. Today’s perfume might be an equally futile gesture.
Be very well, NST-ites everywhere. I hope I can be regularly back in the conversation again.
Their hard little heads!!
I know! Silky fur over hard bone. They love to be rubbed around their whisker pads and all up the sides of their faces to their ears. Alexander stands on this hind legs to ask for attention, and Titus and Eric bunt and strop around my calves.
Rievers….that made me laugh.
Titus has no respect for boundaries. It may be Eric’s special food, but if he wants it, he just shoves in. Alexander copies Titus. Between them, they outweigh Eric by 2kg, although Eric makes up for his petit-ness by being sneaky and very fast.
I hope you’ll regularly be back here, too. How else am I going to get kitten updates?
Ninfeo Mio? You smell marvelous!
Exactly right – waterdragon kitten updates are like Bored Panda articles for me!
I’m not a cat person, but your stories could change my ways! I love the kitty tales. ????
Wearing Arielle Shoshana EdP. I needed something bright, summery, fun, cheerful to face the freezing day outside running tons of errands. It is going to be a long day.
Happy weekend everyone!
Perfumelover67, I will gladly switch weather temps eith you. Lol. ????
Let’s DO it!!!!!
Gosh, I’ll sign on for the same switch — it is so darned cold here!
And we still have a LONG way to go……
No kidding. If I am already cranky about the weather in mid November I am in trouble.
Happy Saturday Everyone! Its a beautiful day in Houston, Texas today. The weather is perfect! I can tell that Fall is working hard to make its way here. Can’t wait….I love cold weather. Everyone around here is anxious and have broke out their riding boots and all. ????
My SOTD is Rosa Nobile by Acqua Di Parma. Such a beautiful fragrance but it doesnt last on me as long as I would like it to. Enjoy the weekend everyone!
Hi fellow Houstonian! I’m lingering in my apartment because of my allergies, but I’ll have to force myself out sooner or later to enjoy the pretty weather.
Aw, Coumarin, sorry you’re not feeling well. Maybe the nice weather will make you feel better. Not hot or humid, and a slight, nice breeze with sunshine.
Hello to both my fellow Houstonians. It is indeed lovely! I liked it when it got a bit cooler than this, though. I hope your allergies improve soon, Coumarin. I think it’s starting to be ragweed time. I just visited Saks at the Galleria for the first time in ?5? years and wow, their perfume game has really been upped! In case you haven’t been. They have so much there and it’s all expanded over into where the poor dumpy old Macy’s used to be. Just FYI. I’ll post more below about what I bought.
I have been! It’s gorgeous! They have the Hermessences, and Serge Lutens too. Sadly they lost Frederic Malle.
Hello, everyone, Houstonian here, too. I’ve never made it to Saks; I hit NM and Nordstrom and then my feet give out. I’ll have to try to get to Saks after the holidays. Does anyone know if they have a sample program like Nordstrom?
Hi everyone! On my lunch break, listening to The Stones, Excile on Mainstreet. Wearing Narciso white cube, with yesterdays Rose Jam body spray on my coat mixed in. I sprayed myself down with it at Lush. I smell good! Question, does Luckyscent do holiday specials? I’ve been contemplating a purchase, but hoping there might be a seasonal discount. Have a great weekend!
I have not specifically seen a seasonal discount in the past few years but they have VERY (very very very) nice Gift with Purchase (e.g. 3 Memo travel sprays) that I did not mind paying shipping because you’re only allowed one code. You could also just put the item in your cart and wait a day or two…a bot may offer you a discount.
Oh, good idea! I will start adding to my cart, and at least wait to see when a gwp shows up. Thanks!
I put on the dregs of my decant of Avignon, decided it wasn’t enough, and added the dregs of a sample of Vanilla Insensee. I’m not usually into layering scents, but I smell pretty good!
I am hunkering for a bottle of Vanilla Insensee. Somehow, I don’t have a single FB of a vanilla frag, and either this Vanille Insessee or the VCA Orchidee Vanille seems like it would perfectly fit my need.
I keep thinking I’ll pick one up on the NST swapmeet, but somehow have walked away empty handed each time. I can’t seem to bring myself to BUY a vanilla frag, and yet I can’t stop thinking about those two.
Here we are scent twins except perhaps for my love of vanilla. Have you ever tried Le Labo Vanille 44? How about Jacques Zolty Van-ile? SHL 777 Taklamakan? I think these are vanilla for the vanilla haters (or I should say for people who don’t like gourmand vanillas).
Oh, I should try those. I definitely don’t love gourmands, but one DOES need a good vanilla, right?
So do you love the gourmand category, hajusuuri? And what do you think of Vanille Insesee and Vanille Orchidee? I really do like both of those quite a lot and get SO many compliments when I wear them.
I love the gourmand ones, too. I love vanillas, period.
I prefer VC&A Orchidee Vanille. It is full bodied, whereas Vanille Insensee is quite sheer.
And $66 for 100 mL is practically free. It is very easy to split because it is a screw-top.
Just to weigh in, I’m a former vanillaphobe. Just didn’t care for it. VO changed that.
Which scent are you referring to that is $66 and screw top, and where did you see it for that price? I am interested in the VCA Vanille Orchidee and Bois d’Iris, although I should really get decants first.
I am pretty sure they are referring to the 200ml Cologne Ateliers. I don’t think that the VCAs can be found at that price, though I Do see good prices for the 45mls on eBay sometimes
Oops. 100ml not 200ml
What gville said
The Ateliers are the cheap unscrewable ones.
AND some of the 200ml can be found for under $100
Hajuusuri- what do you wear the most often (overall) in your collection? Now you have me curious. I agree that VO is much more full bodied and a real fragrance, where VI is more linear and sheer. I took VI on a few trips where I thought otherwise that I would not wear fragrance, and it was a very nice, light, airy choice. And it grew on me.
VI is definitely a safe choice anytime. In my opinion, No. 19 EDP serves the same purpose (and this is one I wear most often, hands down). I really ought to keep track of what I wear daily but the longest I had the discipline to do so was 20 days.
I’ve never been much of a vanilla fan, but I’m currently liking Vanilla Insensee and Diptyque Eau Duelle. I’ll have to sniff Orchidee Vanille as well – I loved their VCA Muguet Blanc before they discontinued it.
Oh, I didn’t know Muguet Blanc was discontinued.
I was really impressed by the full line of the original fragrances in their Extraodinnaire collection. They were all quite good, but Vanille Orchidee stood out as the perfect vanilla to me: nongourmand, a slight touch of orange lightens its heft, and there’s a chocolate edge. It’s lovely.
I enjoyed the line too – I think they are all still in production except for the muguet, which was my favorite of the bunch. Rotten luck . . .
Vanille Insensee can be picked up online very inexpensively but i think the smallest amount is 100ml.
Fragrancenet sells the 3.3 oz for 66 dollars…you could always do a split or make decants as gifts.
Whoa. Who knew? That’s an incredible deal. And on searching on ebay, I see that there’s a small bottle of Vanilla Orchidee (1.5oz) and even a 10ml spray of Vanille Insensee.
I think Sephora sells Vanilla Insensee in 30ml as well as a 10ml mini? All of this vanilla talk is making me want a bottle too!
yes but Sephora charges 85 dollars for 1 oz…might as well go for the triple size and pay less!
actually fragrancenet sells several of the 30ml bottles (just not VI) in the 30-35 dollar price range….that is a steal!!! Rose Anomyne is there too for those interested…and I am pretty sure that the 30ml also unscrew for easy decanting…the point is to be able to decant from your 200ml into your 30ml travel spray which is why I think Atelier made them all unscrewable.
In support of the ongoing house purge, I am cleaning out the perfume cabinet (aka two shelves of the laundry cupboard in the upstairs hallway), and transferring oft-used bottles to a newly purchased media cabinet. Apparently my spatial sense was way off when I ordered the media cabinet, because only about half of the bottles will fit. Then there are the three cubic feet of never- and seldom-used bottles, for which I haven’t yet formulated a plan. So, instead of two newly-cleared shelves and a nicely organized cabinet of much-loved perfume, I’m sitting on the hallway floor surrounded by perfume bottles. There are worse problems.
LOL — yes there are!
HA! That was me, earlier this week. I was swapping summer scents for winter, and feeling rather smug about how well everything had fit on the shelves (though a voice in the back of my head kept whispering that it seemed unlikely…) til I realized I’d missed an entire box. Argh!
Now I’ve got a box full of those seldom-used scents, and a project to give them one last try and decide I love them after all, or they’re headed to Evilbay.
I don’t have the wherewithal to actually post, package, and sell my unwanted bottles. What I’d really like is for somebody to come by and take them off my hands in one fell swoop, but I’d irrationally want it to be somebody who loves perfume as much as I do….
I know what you mean. My issue…I have several bottles that don’t work for me, but I’m not inclined to cough up the ~$10 per bottle to ship them. And I agree, I want them to go to someone who will love them.
But with my broken arm, I can’t do anything about it for another month or so, anyway.
I didn’t realize you broke your arm!
So sorry! I hope your family is taking good care of you.
I made myself do this before the great condo fumigation project this summer.
The struggle was real.
But I sold a lot I didn’t love and was able to get that bell jar of Borneo in return.
Hi apsara, I’m doing fine! My hubby is taking good care of me, and it’s healing up nicely so far. ????
Wearing Eau de Guerlain for errands today. I’ve been working my way through Atelier Cologne’s discovery set and decided I’m not going to purchase anything anytime soon. If anyone wants my $35 gift voucher (should be good for the next 5 months) please call dibs below and give me a way to contact you. I can send you the code for their website or mail you the voucher to use in store. Happy shopping.
Dibs. I’ll put it to good use. You can contact me by clicking on my username. Thanks.
Has anyone in the NST community visited the Osmotheque?
Is it possible to arrange to smell recreations of particular discontinued or reformulated-beyond-recognition perfumes?
Triple strength coffee
Extra long workout
Went to the mall and was mistaken for BOTH Santa and the ‘steal your grandma’ guy.
Got a pulled pork sandwich and wanted the check out this year’s Santa, he was on break but a sweet 4-year-old saw me and started jumping up and down yelling Santa. LOLOLOL
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She also said she thought I was fatter! ????????????
I told her to make the nice list. Now they have a photo of me I posed for until the real Santa returned.
The SYG guy I had to Google.
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No scent yet but I did smell L’Air du Temps on a woman and it smelled great.
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Carpe Diem.
Peace.
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Too funny. I’m jealous of how you can pepper your posts with all sorts of technicolor icons!
Only on my phone, no can do on the laptop!
Cheers hajusuuri!
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EXCELLENT!
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Only 54? That’s cheating! Hot octagenarian Deshun Wang is the real deal:
https://www.boredpanda.com/80-year-old-model-grandpa-china-wang-deshun/
Fantastic nozknoz!
I love your research posts!
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And, 59………..but who’s counting, right? !
LOLOLOL
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I LOVE this post!
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Thanks lillyjo!
Keep on rockin’ !!!
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Really sweet!
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Hi all, I had a fun visit to Saks at Houston Galleria today. I went to return something I’d ordered online. It’s been ages and ages since I’ve been there and wow have they ever remodelled and expanded, including in their perfume departments. They had huge sections for everything: Malone, L’Artisan, Guerlain, By Kilian, Bond New York (naturally), and the one I went to see in particular, Le Labo. I tried a bunch of scents and bought the shower gel in Labdanum. Mia was the SA and was really nice and gave me a lot of samples from their new body products range–these are NOT associated with any of their usual scents. I got some hair products, hand cream, another kind of shower gel, and body cream. They are all in “flavours” like mandarin, avocado, hinoki, and sesame seed. I’ll report on how I like them. Since Hermes was the next booth over I also stopped there and tried the new Twilly. I quite liked it. Might be a good thing to look for in duty free when I have my next international trip.
Sounds like you had fun. I guess the rumor that Guerlain is pulling out of department stores ks not true!
They certainly had a strong representation there at Saks! And I am sure I saw them at Neiman-Marcus last weekend also.
I tried Twilly for the first time today at Sephora. Got a sample also. Am contemplating the 30 ml bottle with my 20% off. But I’m also kind of coveting the Rose Jam body spray.
I wish I had access to a decent perfume department- that sounds so fun!
After yesterday’s Community Project Fail, I have redeemed myself with a two-fer:
SOTD = Puredistance M
Song pairing is Smooth Operator and Dealer’s Choice – Wear a perfume with the shortest name.
Off-topic: Server Tips
Earlier this week, I had dinner with co-workers, current and former. We went to a chain burger joint recommended by one of the former co-workers. It was a burger your way kind of place so one would think the servers are used to with this without this extra that. The server even repeated our orders. When our food came, 4 out of 5 orders were wrong: mine came with mayo and no egg, another got lettuce and no tomato (she asked for no lettuce, double tomato), two wanted jalapeño but did not get it. I left before the check came but gave my “vote” of only half the normal tip or no tip at all. What say you?
Since we’re on the topic of tips, what do you think of tips added to the cost of the food? Should you have the right to not pay it if the service was poor? (On a cruise there’s a daily service fee charged to the stateroom and we have the right to not pay it once it’s time to settle the bill.)
If the server repeated your orders, chances are, the correct order went into the kitchen. It depends on the restaurant, but it is rare that the responsibility of making sure a finished order is correct lies with the wait staff. Usually that’s the responsibility of an expediter, or the kitchen. But it’s generally the wait staff that will suffer in lost tips — usually all the other staff are paid more per hour.
Ha! Did not think of that! I should have asked to speak to a manager instead and we could have been comped something so he is made aware of our displeasure.
I agree with Robin, sounds like the kitchen flubbed the order.
As a former busboy and waiter, I tip 25%, but cannot go below 10% unless the service was horrendous.
I did have a server once question the low amount and pointed out all of his errors, he had an attitude when I started and just wanted me to leave by the time I finished my spiel !!!
LOL
Don’t ask for trouble, it may find you !
Likewise, former waitress. A wait person has to be actively rude for me to punish them by lowering their pay. I am well aware that what sometimes looks like “bad service” is just the end product of a poorly run restaurant, where the bar and the kitchen do not operate efficiently.
Most workers are paid even when they screw up, or when the business they work in screws up
As far as tips added to the bill, around here it’s usually just done for large groups. Having been in groups where I ended up throwing down more cash to cover someone who went cheap, I don’t have a problem with that unless the service is terrible.
SOTD was Serge Lutens “Santal de Mysore”. Notes are sandalwood, caraway, spices, benzoin and styrax.
Sometimes this smells a little grandmotherly to me, but today it was a good accompaniment to a job of clearing out dead electrical junk. After our glamorous visit to the municipal dump, we drove down to the Cotswolds and walked around Batsford Arboretum (http://www.batsarb.co.uk/)
The last yellows and reds of Autumn were still holding fast to the maple and lime trees; I guess in another 3 weeks they will all be gone.
Tonight I am gathering data for an overdue tax return, accompanied by Hermes “Vetiver Tonka”. Notes are vetiver, sandalwood, tonka, tobacco, lily-of-the-valley, hazelnut, praline and caramel.
Wow, the photo on that page makes it look really gorgeous! How lucky you are to be able to just take a drive down to the Cotswolds!
Braved the cold this morning to stop at Sephora to spritz and get a sample of Twilly to see if I want to do a small bottle with the 20% off. I like it, but need to apply more to really decide. I saw other things that made me realize the 20% off is actually evil. ????
I also liked the Rose Jam body spray, so that’s another temptation. Not good.
It took me several samplings of Twilly to decide that I wanted the little bottle with my 20% off. It’s the kind of scent I can easily wear to work and I just couldn’t resist that bottle!
The reason I wanted to sniff it was the bottle. I admit it. I actually like Twilly scarves, but don’t own one.
It is evil. Sometimes, I wish it was 20% off the highest cost item only to help restrain overindulgence.
I always go overboard at the fall 20% off sale. I’m sure they rely on that.
I did my part!
I visited nordstrom this week for their scent event, so I got a bag full of samples with my purchase of Philosykos (which lingered on my list for years – it’s not the right season, but I wasn’t inspired by anything else that was less than $100). So SOTD is Gucci Bloom from a sample. My latest bargain was the Stash gift set (perfume and oil) I found at Marshall’s for $25.
I really need to go look for one of these Stash sets!
PNWers, with your Pacifica warehouse sales and your chocolate festivals – you’re killing me! I need to fly home for a week, then at least I could sate my See’s raspberry cream cravings.
Advice please: do I need a bottle of Ginestet Botrytis? (say yes! say yes!).
SOTD is Marni Spice and a lovely creation it is.
YES!!!!!!!!
That’s what I’ve been thinking about buying! It’s so good!
It is!
Hurrah, weekend!
This week I bought my first scented candles…ever.
I picked the Diptyque Christmas Constellation collection (the set with 3 small candles). They looked so cute and seemed like a good fit for the darker and colder days.
I really enjoy them, cant compare them to other ones, because, yeah they are my first….haha
But they all smell good! I think the ???? dragon is my favourite.
I was considering the 3 candle set as well at beautyhabit with the 20% off code (although perhaps it is excluded). I have the Yu-Be hand cream and the coffee soap daily lemming from a few days back in my cart already.
That candle set caught my eye as well. And it’s really reasonable.
Wait, I got mixed up. It was the $38 Commodity candle set at Sephora I was mulling.
Nice and congrats! They are lovely smelling and looking. I’ve been eyeing those every year but haven’t bought them. Yet. I do love my Diptyque Baies vandle which smells like L’Ombre dans L’Eau. Candles are another rabbit hole for me, but I do use them a lot so don’t feel too guilty.
Has anyone found a PRETTY way to store decants? I bought two of the Ikea glass doored wall cabinets for my favorite perfumes. I’ve installed it in the closet in the new house, and it’s LOVELY.
I want a lovely way of displaying my HUGE amount of decants, but haven’t come up with anything.
I used to store all of the perfumes in a drawer and would just stand all the decants up at the front of the drawer, with the pretty bottles int he back. But that doesn’t work the same in a glass-front-door cabinet.
I store my decants and samples in antique votive type candle holders and old style deep candy bowls. They sit on top of my cabinet. I think I probably don’t have as many as most do, though.
OK, this is an interesting question. I would love to see a picture of your perfume display, but I think you probably can’t post a picture here. What is the name of the IKEA cabinet that you are using?
How many decants are we talking about? And are they mostly 10ml, or smaller?
What about acrylic lipstick organizers? Or did you not want the decants themselves to be visible?
I have the Brimnes cabinet, based on the suggestion of a nst’er rec. I moved recently, and the new house has his and hers walk in closets, so the glass doors allow me to see all the beautiful bottles without endangering their contents (since they are in the dark 99.9% of the day). 2 Brimnes can be installed with the doors opening from the center so they look like a set. 2 shelves in each. I just have the fragrances I really really love in them which makes me realize that I need to get rid of a LOT of bottles that I don’t really love. By only displaying the things I really love, I also feel less guilty about the excess and just feel the happiness from my collection. Back up and swap bottles are now in 3 boxes.
I have probably 20-40 decants, mostly 10mls. Few of these are true loves (I should probably swap lots) but they won’t get worn sitting in an ugly brown box somewhere else.
There’s a small nice votive with travel sprays in my cabinet (like the Ormonde Jayne’s) but I think that only works well in small amounts.
I use ammo boxes for some samples. Organized but not exactly pretty.
Your own walk in closet, sigh and drool…????
So the Brimnes cabinet is floating, and is mounted on the wall? ( not a piece of independent furniture, right?)
What do you have below it? Maybe you could get an IKEA shoe cabinet and Jerry rig that so the travel sprays would not be floating around, but would be easily accessible.
I second Coin-op’s suggestion of acrylic makeup organizers. They are perfect for decants – everything is organized and you can see them all cause of the “stadium seats.” I got mine at Marshall’s for 10 or 15 bucks and it keeps the different-sized decants all neat and pretty.
Wearing Tom Ford Cafe Rose today. Yesterday was our fifth wedding anniversary, and tonight was a baby shower for one of the surgeons I used to work with, so I got to see my old coworkers that I miss dearly. What a great weekend so far.
Happy anniversary!
That does sound like a lovely weekend!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! Enjoy!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversay!
I’m in TF Fleur de Chine for a family birthday brunch this morning, and not sure what I’ll do after that – lots of chores await me when I get home, but I’m feeling unmotivated.
Had an interesting (for some value of ‘interesting’) experience at a concert last night. It was a jazz event — Thelonius Monk pieces — but with a video backdrop which featured rapidly strobing light and dark images. I had to flee due to nausea, and the ushers told me I wasn’t the only one. If the performers’ goal was to teach aversion to Monk they were on the right track! LOL. Unfortunately I may never wear Dries Van Noten again, either. Bleah. I sure hope the venue gives the performers some feedback.
Sounds like an awful experience Pixel, and I can relate. Maybe leave Dries Van Noten aside for now and one day you will be able to revisit.
How awful! I hope the ushers did tell the manager/director/performers about it so they can fix the problem. And hopefully DVN is not ruined for you. Give it a rest and try again later.
Oh, how unpleasant, and weird! I also hope Dries isn’t ruined for you. That would be sad.
Birthday gift was a ton of nice samples, so I’ve been going through those. I put on Bendelerious today…it started out terrific, then very quickly faded to something violet-y or makeup-y, somewhat remininiscent of Lempicka Lolita. Too bad…such a promising start! Fun thing to try, though, and the drydown could even pass for masculine these days!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY jbordeau!
Bendelirious is fun. To me it screams PARTY!!!????????
And something in it reminds me of Chinatown….? It is a big time in a bottle.
Thanks for the b-day wishes.
happy birthday!
Thank you!
A Bear inspired workout this morning followed by an Ede inspired breakfast of fresh figs and ripe pears and wafting of Aspara inspired pairing of Arz el Rab and OUd al Sahraa..and I am patting myself on the back for not buying any chocolate at the grocery store (there were so many bars on sale today , including Ritter’s Chocolate Covered Marzipan!)
Yum, I had that one last night. Love marzipan.
Me too
But I am trying hard to be good because one of my younger CM8s has recently been yelling at me for eating way too much sugar and not exercising (she does not count my once weekly yoga class as ‘aerobic”)
SOTD is Annick Goutal “Ambre Fetiche”.
Top: labdanum, incense, styrax, amber and vanilla;
Mid: iris and benzoin;
Base: leather, vanilla, geranium and patchouli.
More paperwork today – the stuff is never-ending. Was outside only very briefly on a supermarket dash with TOMK. A bright but *cold* day.
you smell great!!! love that one
Good morning, she says grumpily, because the beastly Wifi connection is definitely dodgy again. AGAIN! Four important emails, including one to Foxbins, have failed to send because the server is rejecting them. My password is also being rejected, because every time I log in, my devices tell me I am trying to access a network two floors below on the other side of the building, and refuse to recognise ours. Grumpy start to the day. Be scared, world….I think that after my Tele-meeting with That Student, I will put on red lippy and an intimidating scowl, and go in person to the offices of our provider. I will give them the impression that I’ve moved in and won’t be leaving until things are sorted out comprehensively and correctly., and then we shall see what we shall see.
The perfume I have chosen to help me overcome this frustration is the level-headed, elegant-but-tough-minded 31 RC. Oh thank goodness forRC: I smell amazing. The kittens love this one. Why did I wear black today? It’s now black with a slightly angora appearance where they have be-furred me with their stropping. You know what? Three kittens of distinct personality and 31RC could be a formula for world peace. Perhaps the UN should try it.
Be well, all.
And see? This posted (good), but I still can’t get any sense out of my email!
Give ’em what for, Waterdragon!
SOTM is Dans Tes Bras. So soft and soothing, yet odd if you think of it as a perfume.
SOTE will be most likely be Heure Exquise, to wear for The Moscow ballet’s The Nutcracker. I’m looking forward to it since I haven’t seen it since I was a kid.
I love Dans Tes Bras, it is indeed odd but soothing.
Not wearing anything yet, still feeling unwell so I don’t want to wear perfume. Maybe Costes body oil.
Take it easy cauzabon. I hope you feel better soon.
Had a busy day yesterday with the in-laws on Long Island. Honored Veteran’s Day (and my FIL) at their local veteran’s tribute, replete with men in kilts and a piper’s band, which was at a local park. Outside. It was freezing.
Then went to Home Goods and bought some much uneeded stuff, then back to their house to celebrate my husband’s birthday which was last week. All while wafting Opium Fleur de Shanghai which I’m reaching for frequently. Can still smell it today!
Will probably wear Floris Honey Oud from the split meet later. I really like the honey note in that one. It’s less sticky sweet and more airy and bright. And the oud isn’t screechy or overpowering. Great for another cold day.
Honey Oud sounds good…would not have expected airy and bright from that one
Me neither! I like the smell of honey but it’s usually either too sweet for me or smells like old urine to me ???? And I need to retract the part about the Oud not being screechy. It isn’t initially but it does become a bit harsh to my nose in the drydown. Still like it though.
I have a sample of OFdS coming with my decant order. Can’t wait to try it!
I hope you get some chill out time today. ????
Oh, yay! Curious to hear what you think of it. I just got a mini of vintage Opium in the mail just for the memories and for comparison. Nearly knocked my husband over with the little bit I applied to my hand! Definitely some pre-IFRA musks or something in that one and very perfume-y. Just like I remember smelling it on my friend’s scary mother, ha!
where did you find your decant of OFdS?
She’s a decant person on FB. I just sent you an email. ????
Wearing Assam of India today, slightly hungover from this weekend’s festivities. The cherry on top of a wonderful weekend: I paid off the remaining balance on one of my student loans today! I still have another loan, but this knocked out a huge chunk of my student debt and it’s a great feeling. Knock on wood: we should have enough stashed away in the spring to pay off the remainder of the other one too, which would make the mortgage the only debt we have left. Fingers crossed!
Hope great for you! Must be such a relief!
House twins
Started out in Demeter Gingerale from the swapmeet, then Dzing! for a midday trip to the farmers market. I waved my wrist under hubster’s nose; he said, “um, smells like flowers?” I just giggled. He’s not really into any of this.
Now in Mandarine Glaciale after shower. I think I’ll drain this travel spray today, yay!
I love Dzing! and the name
I keep coming back to Dzing! It never, ever fails to smell good, and I enjoy every time. It’s just niche enough to make me feel special, but completely wearable and (in the right dose) not evident to everyone around me, a private pleasure.