It's Hump Day, and there are 4 days left in 2017. What fragrance are you wearing?
I've slept late, again. I'm wearing a bit of Maria Candida Gentile Hanbury, but I'll probably add something else once I'm really awake.
Reminder: on 12/29 we're doing Best of 2017...wear one of your favorite fragrance releases of 2017.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2018, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Giardini Hanbury e il mare [cropped] by Stefano Costa at flickr; some rights reserved.
Neroli Outrenoir
Listening to Ave Maria and enjoying time home with my family
Some friends came over and we performed a small Buddhist puja, someone brought orchids for an offering and I am enjoying their beautiful purple color and the warm weather they represent against a back drop of freezing cold temperatures today…
Stay warm ya’ll
Lovestosmellgood, is the Neroli a sharp or powdery citrus??
I would say the Neroli is very fresh/woody smelling, not powdery to my nose. I get mostly tea, but not a strong smokey tea
Have you tried it?
No, but I think I might have to
Its a very unisex scent, not sure if that helps.
That sounds like a lovely day already! I am hoping to relax and get back into my normal schedule today.
Sounds like a lovely ceremony. Enjoy your R&R today!
You smell wonderful. That ceremony sounds very contemplative.
I spent Christmas and Boxing day with no heat or water after a major wind event, so I went with a WARM scent this AM.
Ambra di Luna by Ramon Monegal
Amber and Sandalwood to celebrate the fact it is no longer -10 C in my kitchen.
Stay warm folks!!
Oh my! Did you manage Christmas dinner or go out or ??
Glad you have everything back — heat and water are good.
Cold ( literally) sandwiches, but I did get a hot dinner eventually
OH my goodness!
Stay warm!
WOW!! I wouldn’t have moved from my long johns and stack of blankets! Glad you have heat again!!!!
Yikes! Sounds frigid! Hope you are slowly thawing out.
Oh no! Do you have a backup generator?
No generator, they are all sold out
Ugh. My parents live in northern Wisconsin and sometimes have extended power outages due to weather also. I talked them into getting a generator a couple of years ago and but the power hasn’t gone out since. Oh well, I told them to think of it as their insurance policy.
Glad you have heat again!
Oof. Glad your heat’s back! I would’ve had to check into a hotel or something.
I would have loved to. but I have 3 greyhounds, and no hotel will take 3 big silly dogs. Also, if you leave the house and something drastic happens, insurance will not cover you .
Ah, the doggies! Hope they fared ok. My hairless cat needs it to be at least 74 degrees to not be buried under blankets.
Heated mattress pad. I and my felines swear by it in winter.
We swore by these when we were feeding and caring for two random cats in our backyard… put them in cat beds with fleece blanket over. Stayed warm for 12 hours. (I have no affiliation…we also discovered they made nice bed warmers.)
https://www.amazon.com/Snuggle-Safe-Pet-Microwave-Heating/dp/B00008AJH9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514391505&sr=8-1&keywords=pet+heating+disk
Looking into those pads right now
Thanks
Be aware, the pads are hard plastic. Not squishy or comfy on their own. Need to be under fleece or blanket.
Wow. I am so sorry that happened to you. I’m glad you are warming up now, and that you are safe.
Oh no! Glad to hear you have heat back now. This is why we bought a generator, my condo in Montreal only has electricity and no fireplace.
Eeek! Glad you have heat again. That RM sounds great!
That scent sound wonderful. Amber and Sandalwood! (Glad you’ve warmed up.)
Oh, what a mess, glad you are up and running again!
Holy @#%*&!!! I’m glad you all survived! I cannot imagine! (And not that it would’ve helped, but big huge fat 2nd on a heated mattress pad. Lifechanging!)
Oh Yuck and double Yuck for no heat or water! And on Christmas no less! I am glad to hear that those issues have been fixed for you.
Oh my goodness, that sounds horrible. It warmed up here yesterday in the West to -10 and I was freezing with that. Can’t imagine -10 inside!
Glad you and the pups warmed up.
It’s -3 out so I am wearing something warm and sunny. SOTD is Slumberhouse Sadanne. It starts out with a very weirdly syrup-y, very true to life strawberry. It’s nothing like anything I usually wear, so I am having fun with this sample. It calms down and loses the immediate strawberry association for me and just seems like a warm spice. My husband said it smelled like rose. Very interesting.
I have a plan to explore Slumberhouse in 2018????
Ouch. We are expecting 26, which I guess is better than -3 but I will complain about it anyway!
And your husband is right:
http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2014/08/27/slumberhouse-sadanne-days-of-wine-roses/
Wow, he’s good! I didn’t think of the wine association but I can see that, too!
Sadanne is a fun one! I got a lot of wine from that one.
Normally, I like to change fragrance through out the day; piggy backing one off of another that has a similar note, but I am drawing a blank as to what to wear after this one!!
I just ordered my Sadanne yesterday! I love it so much. I am now terrified that it will freeze sitting on my porch in 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but surely the alcohol content’s high enough to prevent that, right? everybody?
(By the way, my impetus for dropping more $ on Sadanne than I ever have on a perfume is that my sample sank into a sweater, and I kept coming back and smelling that sweater again and again and refused to wash it!)
I remember liking that a lot when I tested it a few years back. Would be yummy on a sweater.
Enjoy!! I hope that it is okay in the cold! And if it helps, my husband always points out that buying perfume from houses like Slumberhouse supports creative American small businesses, so really, you are doing your civic duty. ????????????
Good morning….It’s hard to fathom that Christmas has passed, and the New Year is here! When I was a kid it took forever to get here! LOL
Trying out SJP Stash Unspoken for the 2nd time (tried it last night when it arrived). Hmmmm…..I can’t smell it! LOL Other than the faintest olibanum (frankincense), and I mean FAINTEST, it’s gone after just 30 minutes on my skin. Even immediately after spraying, I have to put my nose to my skin to smell it. I’m disappointed so far, mostly because the original Stash is sooooo good, and this is soooo meh! LOL I will wear several more times before a final verdict.
Stay warm and cozy everyone, if you’re in my hemisphere anyway!
If you ordered from Ulta, maybe they will take it as a return or exchange….?
I will definitely keep the box and receipt for a few days! If I want a true skin scent, I’ll swap for Clean Cashmere! LOL I don’t know if they return or not….
They return makeup that’s been open. So give it a shot.
Aw, bummer. I guess the name suits it ???? Hope you can return it. Clean Cashmere is nice. I think it reminded me of FM L’Eau d’Hiver.
We may see this at TJMaxx in record time!
Sorry to hear that about Stash Unspoken, I really like the original too
Goodness, I didn’t even know there was a new flanker for Stash until I read this! I really like Stash, so I will have to try Unspoken, but will temper my expectations accordingly.
UPDATE: Well, 4 hours in and I am definitely getting occasional whiffs every so often. Definitely a MUCH lighter version of Stash original, and definitely a relative of it. I’ll try spraying a couple extra sprays once I’m away from the Perfume Grinch, to try and amp it up. On the fence about this one for sure! It’s quite nice….and quiet nice! LOL
That’s a promising mini-review. Thanks, Jada.
Original Stash was too strong for me, so this one might be a winner.
I had similar issues with the original Stash. I tested it at Ulta but couldn’t smell a thing, so I kept adding more and more and more. About 30 minutes later it came on like gangbusters.
Perfumes (including open and used) are returnable at Sephora; presumably Ulta has the same policy.
Two thumbs up for sleeping late!!
No need to detail my SOTD. ????
Looking forward to having the 31st through the 2nd off. I’m gonna find myself a quiet hidey-hole and ring in the new year with a whole lotta peace and quiet.
Happy Humpday to all✌????
I nominate Deva for Most Monogamous Perfumista of 2017!
Ummagumma?
Enjoy your holiday off!????
Yay for peace and quiet!
Enjoy your peace and quiet! Sounds like a good way to usher in a new year.
It is nice to sleep late for a few days! But it’s also nice to get stuff done
But I do wish us both peace & quiet.
Enjoy your time off, Deva! Peace and quiet snuggled with T-Rex, sounds perfect!!!
You are making Ummagumma sound oh so tempting! Gotta behave myself, though… I just got my credit card statement the other day. ????
I slept late too, well late for me anyway, until 8 am. We are in a deep freeze here today with the temperature currently below zero and expected high today just in the single digits. It’s a great day to stay inside, which is exactly what I plan to do.
SotM is Dame Monsoon. I get Iris but it’s also a little soapy on my skin and not really “me” so I will switch it up after I shower. I’m curious what others think of this one.
Stay warm everyone!
I liked it, but it didn’t feel like me either. I let my friend try it and she loved it.
I slept late – 10:22 and I really need to knock of stuff on my lost, including a grocery run for my mom.
Wow- good for you! Your body must have needed the rest. That’s what I always figure if I manage to sleep that late. Stay safe out there while running errands!
Lots of SOTD from Dame today
I was not a fan of Monsoon, either. I don’t always love Dame (excepting BFMV and some of the soliflores) but I had a very strong negative reaction to that one.
BFMV is what I switched to after my shower, I really like it too. Monsoon was a freebie, so no money lost there. I also really like Earth Mother. Have you tried?
Sounds like your weather will be making its way toward the East Coast a little later on this week, according to the weather guys and gals on TV. Ugh.
Ugh is right. Our fall was unseasonably mild so I really shouldn’t complain.
My fall was ridiculously mild, too, which only makes the cold snap seem that much more harsh. Weird how that works.
Yuck, I very much dislike Monsoon. I get pitch and hot tires from it. Unfortunately, he sends a sample of it with every order he sends, so I’ve been giving it away with every freebie/swap I send
Lol.
Following a few months of perfume indifference, am back in business. The day before yesterday, I wore Ciel de Gum, which I oversprayed and was way too dense and omnipresent.
Yesterday and today, it’s L’eau d’Hiver, which I didn’t care for initially, but now love. One of the few JC Ellenas which works for me.
That one is so lovely! I think I tend to reach for Cuir d’Ange more often, but I like them both.
I like that term – perfume indifference. Glad you’re back. Ciel de GUM is really good and L’eau d’Hiver is a good one to ease you back.
Welcome back! ????
After reading several NSTers mention that Cristalle in cold weather is awesome, I’m trying it today. So far I like it a lot! Wearing it over the Molton Brown Bushukan shower gel I left for Mr. G to try (don’t think he has yet), and the combination is quite nice.
it is great right? I love Cristalle in the cold
It really wears differently in the cold. Like having a new perfume!
I find that to be the case with a lot of perfumes. Most, really.
Good morning ☺
I’m wearing Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber layered with Hove Honeysuckle body oil. I purchased the body oil yesterday while walking in the French Quarter.
I am trying to stay warm on this very cold and rainy day.
Have always been intrigued by Hove.
Yes, lots of pretty things in there.
That is a fun shop! Impossible to leave without at least a solid. I have been loving my Louis Quatorze lately.
I usually leave with at least one thing also
I have not smelled that one..how is the tea note?
Lots of nice bergamot in this scent, like a warm cup of Earl Grey tea.
I’m going to New Orleans in February and want to go to Hove. What are your favorites? I’ve been to Bourbon French several times, might pop in to try their Sweet Olive.
Tea Olive is my favorite, followed by Louis Quatorze and Carnaval.
Carnaval is so nice. The perfumer there said its a blend of jasmine, gardenia and lime.
I also like Elan d’Orange, which has lots of pretty orange blossom.
Honeysuckle is a nice one, along with Pirates Gold (vetiver) and Rue Royale (mossy rose). Have fun visiting
Thanks! I love New Orleans, it’s one of my favorite places
Thanks for the recs! Looking at the website, all three look like must tries.
Corduroy – smells like how the fabric feels
Mmm, cosy
Wearing Lyric today, sitting next to my wood burning stove. I’m enjoying the fire my dad has going.
Mmm. Sounds cozy all around.
There is nothing like wood heat in the winter for total warmth- enjoy!
That all sounds like it smells fantastic.
Caron Pois de Senteur
Heh, my brain now thinks of you as Caron Girl ????
Never heard of this one..whats it like?
Very jeleaous of all of you sleeping late and being warm indoors.????
We are having an emergency at one of the sites today. My boss called me after midnight to ask me to meet her and the rest of the team there by 6:30am. No need to say I am outdoors today and not handling the cold well for the first time in years doing this type of work. Hot coffee has not been enough. I hope everything gets resolved today.
Wearing a huge dose of Dior Poison. I knew I needed something loud to face the day, regardless our rules of not wearing perfumes at the sites in amounts that could cause distractions around. The rest of the week I will be wearing my big perfumes to be able to handle this freeeeeeeezing weather.
Stay warm and safe everyone! I will survive……
I’m jealous of your stamina and ability to keep a positive attitude ???? stay safe. You smell divine!
Poor you! Try to take breaks inside a warm place if you can. I’m sure no one can even smell your perfume in those arctic conditions.
Gosh, I don’t remember having temps below 20 degrees during the day in years and it’s going to be in the single digits. Stay warm! I’ve been seeing ski masks more regularly and am considering one myself since I’m outside a lot. Hope your day passes quickly!
OMG, I just placed mail to go out and picked up the newspaper. It is FREEZING! And you don’t even need the cold to get your blood running cold – that after midnight phone call was the pits! Stay fragrant, stay warm!
oh my goodness…stay warm
Just back to the office. It is really tough outside. The AC is at full blast here all year round, so I will not get the chance to feel warm until I get home tonight. Taking an hour break now to have some hot soup at the cafeteria and recover some energy. Thank you for your encouraging words. They always help me greatly!
WTFingF??? Between this and learning that outdoor sites are perfume-free zones, I am FURIOUS on your behalf. Can you at least run some kind of heating device in your office? You are made of tougher stuff than I! I can’t even deal with AC in the summer(!)
Hope you warm up this evening.
Why the heck can’t they shut off the AC? Your working environment sounds very challenging. At least you’ll probably sleep well tonight.
Many people here complain the whole year that is pretty warm inside. However, despite many of us also complaining that IT IS NOT, it looks like colder temperatures are more welcome than warmer ones. (sigh!). At least, I am wearing pretty heavy clothes these days and I appreciate than I am not outside right now ????.
Layers and heavy clothes aren’t really a match for ice-cold indoor winds (AC) and ice-cold surfaces (desk, chairs, floors, mouse, etc.) though. This whole conversation is giving me massive anxiety.
May you spend many hours in a hot bath ASAP!
Kpaint, thank you for your concern. I understand your anxiety regarding the cold temperatures we face inside the office. We have brought the issue to the administration manager without much success. Space heaters are prohibited because they might be left on at the end of the day and cause fire. I am a summer person so dealing with “winter” inside and outside is not easy. I took a long bath after I got home tonight, had a very hot tea and soup and went to bed to warm up under the blankets. I feel goooood now!
At least, I am not needed tomorrow at the construction site…..
I am curious if most of your colleagues are male? ????
We are a pretty even group, but I would say there are more men than women….
Oh goodness! Thinking of you! Hope you can warm up soon!!!
At home already under tons of blankets watching tv. So comfy! ????
Oh my goodness! I can’t even imagine. Good call on wearing Poison today.
Hope you are warming up and the weather gets better for you!
Keep on smellin’ fabulous this week!
I am wearing Dame Gardenia and wishing everyone a happy Wednesday! It’s cold in Minnesota so I am grateful for this pair of long weekends to stay in and snuggled with loved ones.
Snuggled is a great place to be
Feeling indecisive but I think I will just go for Cuir Beluga. Always a good default.
I agree Cuie Beluga is a good default!
Totally copying you for the cold/grey/sweatery day.
The last I checked it was -9 . my daughter keeps wanting to go to the mall, but I just can’t drive on these icy roads, unless it’s to go to work, and I have to. Seriously, I’m the driver you yell at if you get behind me. I’m wearing Narciso edp white cube today. I wish I could see through the bottle to know how much is left. Last night I reorganized my perfumes, and then apparently tortured my son by making him come and look at what a good job I did, lol. Stay warm everyone!
I’m with you on the driving. It snowed part of the way back from Rochester and we were That Driver going well below the speed limit. Rather be safe, though. Shocking to watch these tractor-trailers whizzing by at like 70mph! Safe travels!
I gave a short tour of some of my scents on Christmas Eve to a friend who was over. She was very taken with Narciso. So beautiful.
You smell wonderful! Sometimes if I hold my bottle up to a sunny window I can tell how much is left.
Yes, stay away from the mall if you can. My daughter “needed” to go to Sephora yesterday and it was crazy!
Sephora is having a pretty decent sale right now. Luckily for me, Christmas left me broke! And there’s always another sale somewhere.
House twins, Robin! I’m wearing MCG Burlesque: cosmetic powder, a hint of citrus and incense. Warm and feminine. I keep debating a small bottle of this. Maybe when this sample is gone…
I’ve never tried your SOTD but it sounds very pretty.
It’s one of my favorites in this genre- not too sweet, not baby powdery, a bit rosy.
I’ve always wondered about Burlesque.
I recommend if you like rice powder, cosmetic scents ????
I like powdery cosmetic scents. I wore Lipstick Rose last night. It’s a great sleep scent but my little decant is almost empty. I’ll put Burlesque on my sample list as it may be a perfect replacement. Plus, I love her 15 ml bottles!
Late reply, but that sounds fantastic and I’m not even sure I’ve tried that one — adding to list!
SOTD = Chanel No. 19 EDP
Last full day before I leave for Barcelona. I’m glad it’s just the cold we’re having in the Northeast and not any precipitation yet!
PSA – Slumberhouse Baque is back and available at LuckyScent. I thought the universe was conspiring against me ordering it but I found out later on that there was a sitewide online ordering issue. Anyway, when clarissa mentioned it was back about 2 months ago, I missed out due to dillydallying. I may still have a reference sample around but I remember it smelling like a deep sweet tobacco.
Enjoy your trip!! Happy Vacation!
Have a wonderful trip! Hope you have easy travels.
Have a safe and fun trip!
Thank you for the PSA! Baque sounds wonderful, especially at this time of the year. I think I need to mosey on over to luckyscent and order a sample! Safe, happy and WARM travels to Barcelona!
Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip! Hopefully minimal commuter woes as you make your way around..!
Have a wonderful and safe vacation time Hajusuuri! Enjoy the nice temperature in Barcelona!
Have a wonderful trip!
Have a great trip, and I hope you will keep us posted on your travels. Counting steps this time?
Thanks, everyone! I will report back and tiffanie, I won’t be counting steps but will be mindful of not overeating ????
????????Nosy me is curious about the change of ???? vis-a-vis, counting ???? steps. ????????????????????.
Bon voyage, hajusuuri!
????????????✈????⚓????????????????????????????
????????
????I’m going with a tour group with a packed itinerary so there are fewer opportunities to rack up the steps. Also, my independent walking in an unfamiliar place almost guarantees getting lost despite having googlemaps to guide me.
Thanks! ????✌
Enjoy! ????
????????????
Bon voyage! I’m looking forward to your updates.
Buen viaje! Looking forward to hearing about your travels.
Oh enjoy your trip, hajusuuri!!!! We are twins again today!
Have a fantastic trip!
Have a great trip! Looking forward to your commentary.
Have a wonderful time!
Spending the week visiting my sister’s house, dog sitting and watching over my mum while my sister and her family are on vacation. I’ve noticed that when I’m not at home for extended periods of time, my physical and mental “systems” get all wonky – not eating the normal food, sleeping in my bed, keeping consistent hours, exercising, etc. It’s great to be able to give my sister a little bit of much needed relief from worrying about our mom and her dog while she’s away, though.
No scent today – all I brought with me was a travel spray of Nawab of Oudh, and it’s not working for me right now.
Hands Lisa D a cup of tea..
OMG, the tea! Thankfully, I remembered to bring some green with me, cuz’ there is no tea in this house. No green, no jasmine, no roibos, no mint, no chai, not even Lipton. I am hoarding the little tin of matcha I brought – it must last until Saturday!
Bless you for giving your sister some relief! My sister is coming the end of January for her annual six weeks and my husband and I are going on our first long vacation in 2 years, I can’t wait. I’ve been a caretaker for a long time and even though it’s just my mother now, I am really noticing burn out. I have a wonderful woman who takes over 3 days and does the housework but she’s moving in Feb. Hope I can find someone to take her place.
I am so excited for you, too! Whoo-hoo, long vacay coming up!
Self-care first. It’s my new mantra.
Oh, that sounds draining indeed. I wish you the best in finding a replacement helper. And enjoy your time off.
Back at the hospital, for the late afternoon ‘shift’ next to my moms bedside. My mother is sleeping right now. She had a bit of a setback and is less energetic.
I visited a department store this morning and sprayed Bois d’Encens by Armani on my wrists.
Its good…maybe a bit too church-ey.
Sending good thought to you and your Mom, Jiji.
Thank you so much!
You are in my thoughts, Jiji. My mom spent 12 weeks in ICU and 5 months total in the hospital and rehab several years ago after a near-fatal brush with sepsis and ARDS. I know how utterly draining it is for you to try to keep treading water with your own life while being very much present for your mom. She is lucky to have you by her side, and I’m sure she is very thankful for you. Please take care of yourself!
Thank you lisaindenver!
I hope your mother is doing well now and regained quality of life.
I am so thankful for having lovely siblings. That makes the whole situation more manageable. And my father spends lots of time in hospital as well of course! He is a real trooper.
Sending you thoughts of extra energy, Jiji, and wishing your mum healing vibes, as well.
I found Bois d’Encens really church-y, as well, and liking it for just that reason. I don’t have any emotional associations with church, except as places where very strange and sometimes mystical-seeming rituals occur, so I find churchiness attractive in a scent.
I have never been a churchgoer for religious reasons, but I love to visit medieval churches.
I also love it when it smells of frankincense in a church, but for some reason this seems a bit too austere to wear (which is weird because I happily drained my Zagorsk sample, also church-ey and aloof)
But this was a first try on skin, i sure will give it a second chance!
I am glad you are beautifully scented as you spend time with your mom. Take good care.
Thank you, i do not always respond, but all the support here means a lot to me. You guys are the sweetest!
Healing wishes to your mom, and thoughts of strength and support for you and your whole family! Waiting for a loved one to heal is a difficult situation to be in, no matter what.
Thank you!
Healing wishes for your mom and hugs to you. I love Bois d’Encens but it can be a bit austere.
Stayed in bed late, because a cat decided to come visit and snuggle up onto my shoulder. Too cozy to move. (we may need heat turned on in our apartment…either that or I need to bake cookies….)
Do have to venture out into the cold to get a few things done. We postponed our Christmas dinner out until tonight, and then we are catching the late show at Radio City. A splurge we haven’t done in over 15 years.
Am on second round of a different antibiotic. Apparently the sinus infection I have was resistant to first line – didn’t do a dang thing to clear it up. Here’s hoping the new stuff works. I really want to be able to fully smell things again.
In any case, it’s Poudre de Riz today. I love the skin scent drydown of this. So nail varnishy at the beginning then becomes so soft. I’ll be the one sniffing my wrist through dinner and the show….
Oh man, between the root canal and the sinus infection, I feel for you! Hope they found the right antibiotic this time. I would say baked cookies are definitely in order.????
Not that it’s the same case with you, but I used to take multiple rounds of ABs for (chronic) sinus infections that wouldn’t clear up… because they weren’t actually infections. I started seeing a new allergist about 1 1/2 yrs ago who’s been able to clear them up (without ABs.) According to him, if there’s nothing green, it’s not an infection. Either way, I hope you recover soon. I have become a big believer in the neti pot (the “squirt” kind, not the one you pour.) Doing a sinus rinse a couple of times a day might bring a lot of relief, infection or otherwise.
Thanks kpaint. The color is what convinced me it was infection…just on one side. I’m a believer in neti pots too. Don’t use anywhere it near as often as I should. I have both kinds…actually have decided I prefer the pour kind. Especially after doing deep cleaning where I may have kicked up dust or cat fur. Doc told me to also use Flonase.
Glad you found someone to really figure out what was going on with you.
Ugh, hope it clears up soon. I’ve never actually tried the pot as I’m convinced I’d just end up pouring it all over my face and hair. I’m a daily Flonase user, myself. It cleared up the chronic vertigo I had prior to the chronic “infections” (which followed chronic sinus headaches.) Needless to say, I sympathize greatly with other sinus sufferers!
Bleah on the sinus infection! I hope this new Rx will do the trick for you.
Good morning all! I woke up with five cats on the bed all crowded close to my legs and one by my head on the pillow. So happy! Now I am back to work on a new writing project and feeling more like myself. I can definitely empathize with Lisa D above about not feeling like yourself when you’re away from home–I know that from spending so much time at my mom’s condo recently. It’s important and valuable and I love her but I also feel my identity being sucked away and I lack the concentration to work while I’m there. Today I’m wearing Mousse de Chene which is one of my few 2017 acquisitions, and feeling cozy in it. It’s 42 here which is cold for Houston, but I won’t complain given the below-zero temps and snow and ice so many of you are dealing with! Later on today I”m going out to a movie with a friend (“Call Me By Your Name”–it’s had wonderful reviews and I know it’s a cult book–looking forward to it).
Aren’t cats (and dogs) so cozy on a chilly morning?
Hope you enjoy the movie. I have read so many good reviews that I wonder if it can live up to all the hype. Please report back!
Hurray for kitty snuggles!
Love the furry pile! And that’s a beautiful kitty in your gravatar.
SotD = Roger & Gallet Lavande Royale
I love this stuff on me, on clothes, on scarves, on bed linens. The tester bottle I found last week is the pre-reform cologne. WIN!
In case your forgot to buy a gift for your kitty friends, here’s the perfect one million yen cat condo:
http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2017/12/26/neko-cat-tree/
WANT! I’ll need a cat or two to go with it. =^..^=
You smell really good. That is a win.
thanks, LizzieB!
I want to get a cat so I can justify getting that cat condo ????????
I can spare one…. ????
LOL
A friend of mine started a company making cat condos & castles. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of it, though…
Cat condos sounds like an excellent business. When I had cats in my home they ruled the roost and my disposable income.
Congrats on finding your perfume unicorn!
Thanks, Jalapeno! I have been longing for Lavande Royale since my old bottle ran out about 8 years ago. It was a nice surprise to find it again after so long.
Wow. That’s an architectural delight! And happy for you that your R&G was what you were hoping for.
Thanks, Elisa! I’m so happy about it I wish I could spritz everyone on NST with Lavande Royale.
Sotd is Zoologist Camel for the second time since it arrived last week. I need to spend more time with it.
Stayed up till the middle of the night watching movies last night and I am dragging today! I got up at my regular time so I’m very sleep deprived. Sub zero and snowy here too, I’ll nap when I get home but first I have to grocery shop, yuck.
I’m seeing lots of mentions of Camel (and Elephant). I hope you’ll let us know what you think of it. I am intrigued.
I like both of these new Zoologist perfumes but perhaps not enough to buy. Oddly, they have good longevity but very little sillage. I thought they smelled good together, too! That green juicy sap opening of Elephant is really strange, yet kind of arresting. I found Camel easier to like. Now I must get a sample of Dragonfly after looking up reviews of it yesterday.
It is snowing, quite daintily so far. Going out for a couple of errands and then meeting a friend for tea this afternoon, unless the snow becomes more aggressive. In L’Eau d’Hiver, which I can’t remember wearing in actual snow before. Will see how it goes…
Is the city functioning with the snow?
The snow’s not sticking, so there are no problems. When it snowed more heavily last week the city did okay – they learned from last year, I think…
I have to shop for my son’s birthday today…he turns 16 on NYs day. He told me he wants to start an ‘old school’ music collection. I assumed he meant LPs but he gave me a teenage look and replied, No…CDs.
Wearing Interlude on another blue sky, warm morning…about to take the dogs out before it gets too hot and we all become lethargic
CDs! Lol! Happy early Birthday to him!
Start him off with some UmmaGumma from Pink Floyd. I’m kind of partial to it ????
Ha! Yeah, CD’s are so retro…
My 18 year old son collects CDs also. He asked for some for Christmas and my sis said, “I didn’t even know they still listened to CDs”…I told her it was “retro” lol
You smell great. Happy sweet sixteen to your boy!
SotD is Atelier des Ors Rose Omeyyade.
Busy writing a post about my favorite fragrances in 2017.
hurray! I enjoy year-end fragrance musings.
Today’s SOTD is Gucci III.
SOTD is the newly reimagined Une Robe de Zibeline by DSH, which I sampled and fell for on Saturday when I visited Dawn’s studio. I had the original Une Robe de Zibeline from many years ago, which I *think* was Dawn’s holiday release that year (maybe 2008 or 2009?). It was a spicy oriental that was on the sweeter side of things. Even though the ‘robe’ was supposed to imply fur, I never quite picked up the animalic aspect on my skin; for me, it was a sweet ambery-benzoin fragrance.
Fast forward to this month, and Dawn has reworked this fragrance in amazing ways. It is a much more ‘retro’ fragrance now that has aldehydes as its star. They start out bright and sparkly, by quickly dry down to buttery richness. I never really liked aldehydes (they were too bright) until I discovered SL La Myrrhe, and the new Une Robe reminds me of La Myrrhe’s buttery aldehydic qualities. I also get a lot more of the labdanum and oakmoss in this version, and the castoreum is definitely present, providing the luxurious ‘fur’ effect that I never could find in the original version. The heart is a gorgeous ylang that is perfectly tempered by the classic retro notes.
The basic bones of the original are still there, but this version is far more multi-dimensional and full bodied. It’s another great ‘gateway animalic’ from Dawn. I decided to get it in the oil version, as it wears a bit closer to the skin, and the aldehydes burn off their fizzy brightness a bit quicker than they do in the edp. Highly recommend sampling this beauty if you love classic, sexy, lightly animalic oriental fragrances.
That sounds lovely. I really like Dawn’s Mirabella which reminds me of Femme.
I love Mirabella as well! In fact, I picked up a 10 ml rollerball pen of it in edp this weekend. It’s such a refined, classic plummy-chypre. I’m looking forward to wearing it as we settle into colder weather here.
Nice! I have contemplated buying a 10 ml of Mirabella but have resisted because it’s probably not office appropriate. Not that it would stop me from wearing it. ????
The last scent that I bought from Dawn was Fleuriste; A lovely carnation scent. The 10 ml sizes are great because once they’re gone, I’m ready to try something else from her line.
I have tested most of her Iris and carnations scents. Still, they’re only a drop in the bucket from her catalog. It must be amazing to visit her studio!
I think I need a DSH tutorial. The number of fragrances she has is overwhelming and I think our brains organize things very differently so I always feel dyslexic when I’m perusing her web shop (and I haven’t done so in probably over a year because I don’t have the time for the brain gymnastics required). Anyway, I do love Scent of Hope and Oeillets Rouges and know I will appreciate more of her work.
I have EXACTLY the same response when shopping at her online store. That said, I’ve tested a few of her offerings via some gracious NSTers who’ve sent me samples, and thus far none of them has clicked with me. I have to say that it’s actually been a bit of a relief, as I no longer feel obligated to sort through her site and find something to buy.
I’ll also add that I often have this response to restaurant menus. If there are too many words or pages, or categories that don’t make sense to me, or if it’s organized in a way that my brain can’t wrap around, I just give up.
Ha! Me too! I just end up ordering the simplest dish as I don’t want to dissect every menu item trying to find THE ONE.
Wearing Etat Libre d`Orange Une Amourette Roland Mouret, released in 2017.
With such a name and description, I expected something bold and dramatic. And it turned out to be quiet and restrained.
Wet iris (no carrot or earthy notes), woody notes and neroli is what I get from this scent. No patchouli detected, just slightly mossy woods. Iris here reminds me a little of a makeup product (lipstick? blush?), but it’s not a strong makeup scent.
If not for neroli, I could have called this fragrance melancholy, but neroli really brightens the composition – like the sun which keeps appearing and disappearing behind the clouds after the rain.
So it’s woody, it’s floral and it’s citrussy. It’s more or less linear – although sometimes it smells more of iris and sometimes it’s mostly a sunny citrus, there are no dramatic changes. Keeps close to skin. A pretty scent. I like it, but I do not love it.
I tried Amourette recently and found it to be pretty strong and a bit discordant, but not necessarily in a bad way. I got something like burning rubber along with the orange blossom. It definitely captured my attention.
Funny how cazaubon, you and I got different notes from Amourette .
I got a ton of patchouli/wood and no neroli. I thought it was just okay. Will try it layered over some scented lotion to see if I can improve it, as I bought the large sample (30mls) blind.
Wow, 30 ml! That’s a serious approach to sampling. I hope layering works for you. I kind of like this scent, but I feel that once I finish my 2 ml, I’ll stop at that.
Another day in Chergui. It’s a great scent for cold winter days and it is freezing today. It is the only fragrance that I own a BUB of.
Smelling really good Petunia!
Thanks!
stay warm and snuggly
It’s a good day for cozy perfume!
Smelling great?
!
???? Thanks KellyC!
Morning, all. Last day in Whanganui —it’s been great to be here with the kittens and the dear man. And no mother-in-law. Well, not much of her, anyway. The kits behaved really very well on the trip down—didn’t get distressed, but were understandably restless. The new car is comfortable and made a considerable difference to the journey.
In perfume terms, I’ve been silly. I didn’t check the forecast, and brought cool scents., because it’s summer. However, a sneaky southerly has been whistling through my bones all week, and I don’t fancy any of the perfumes I brought with me. Damn! No perfume report from me, then.
I’ve been loving the sound of all your choices, up there in the other hemisphere. They’ve been keeping me going, as I battle with Miguel Porcelaine and Nstcisse Bleu. I particularly like Ummagumma, at least from the notes and your reactions to it. One to watch, clearly.
Well, I hear the sound of twelve paws thundering around, and it clearly behaved me to get up and prepare kitten breakfasts. The wooden floors amplify the sound remarkably.—heart rimu, Kanuka & Gaynor. Can’t wait to get them sanded and polished.
Be well, all.
And as I look at this post—I wish I hadn’t!— I see I scored more than my usual number of careless typos I think my favourite might be Miguel Porcelaine. It’s an idgity but harmless. However, I simply HAVE to correct “behaved” to “behoves”. Can’t cope with that one!
The thunder of tiny paws is one of the best sounds in the whole world.
So true!
I’ve been saying “Whanganui” this week because it’s fun to say! I should look it up on a map.
A lot of Maori place names have ‘nui’ in them – it means ‘big’. So, Whanganui is ‘big bay’ (I think) .
Hey, good news about the MIL.It must be nice to have a happy break . We’ve had lots of hail recently but otherwise fine.Have a safe trip back home.
Safe travels back!
SOTD is EL Sensuous Noir
Hope everybody had a good holiday! My brother and sister-in-law got me a Scentbird subscription for 6 months and told me they’d pay for another 6 months if I like it. I hadn’t used any of these subscription services, so I’m excited to try it out.
Scentbird! That is a thoughtful gift.
wow! nice gift
Cool gift!
What a nice gift! You’re making me think I should pull out Sensuous Noir.
Nice gift! Looking forward to hear how it goes.
So thoughtful!
So sweet and generous. Have fun!
Today is crunchy underfoot as our Christmas Eve snow has thawed during the day and refrozen each night. I am off to the grocery store shortly and then to the animal shelter. Yesterday was very busy with parents who had told their children they could have a pet for Christmas, but due to the holiday many volunteers are out of town, leading to long waits to meet an animal and short tempers. I ignored all of that, and just petted, walked, and cleaned up after some adorable dogs. Today I’m wearing La Liturgie des Heures, one of my favorite incenses. I think the doggies will like it, too, as it mixes with the scent of the cheese treats in my pockets.
How good of you to help out and stay calm during a busy time. I’m glad they are adopting at a shelter, and hope the fur babies all get nice homes!
We had the same shelter experience, foxbins! And at our shelter we had the added issue of someone surrendering a cockatoo, whose ear-splitting shrieks we were treated to all afternoon. Thank heaven it was adopted today!
Brrrr. I’m cold just thinking about the weather some of you are having. It’s the flip side of the unbearable summer weather we get – and probably accounts for all the snowbirds here!
My bottle of Theorema caught my eye this morning and it’s the perfect spicy fragrance for today.
SOTD = Byredo Gypsy Water, from the sample stash. I’m not getting much from this other than freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils. Maybe this isn’t the right weather for this perfume?
No update to my mom’s cataract surgery just yet. I will try calling again later on tonight… I might have called during her follow-up appointment.
Quick pop-in during a short layover. I didn’t wear perfume today because I was flying and because I had to wake up too dang early. However, the woman sitting next to me on the flight to Toronto was wearing Sycamore and she smelled gorgeously amazing.
Stay warm and safe, everyone!
Ahh, what serentipity! Hope the next leg is as lovely smelling!
*serendipity
So nice to smell good juice “in the wild”!
Bon voyage! Where are you off to via Toronto?
Am enjoying Carner Barcelona D600 (thanks to the cold-tortured pl67!)
I realize 2017 isn’t over yet, but I’ve done some year-end financial reconciling and have proudly cut my perfume spending this year by 74%! This is not to say I didn’t spend embarrassing amounts of money this year, but rather that 2016 was OTT ridiculous. So was 2015.
I was able to do so in part by participating in swaps and splits and freebiemeets, so many, many thanks to all of you lovely ladies and gents who so generously share your collections. I am beyond ready to put 2017 to bed but have a nagging fear that 2018 will be even worse. Thanks to everyone here for providing a place of solace and refuge, and the appreciation of beauty that bonds us.
Good for you. I was pretty good this year but have been sampling a lot lately, which gets expensive. I have to slow down but my curiosity usually gets the best of me.
I am so glad you wore D600 and enjoyed! It is one of my favorite perfumes.
Kudos on your financial restraint! I am planning to do the same for 2018 as 2016 and 2017 have been rather excessive.
Another super lazy day here. Eating leftovers and watching old(er) movies. I am back in No. 29 again. I was going to get out and walk to get a coffee for some fresh air but have talked myself out of it and am sitting on my deck instead. It’s about 50 and sunny here today. Thinking of those in frigid temps. Even Alabama is cold right now I am hearing from friends and family.
Our home inspection for the new house is tomorrow. I’m sure it will go fine. I’m mainly excited to go back over there and see it again!
Never heard of No 29. Is it Chanel? Must be nice to sit outside. You must be very happy with your choice to move. ????
Ha! I meant No. 19!!!! Oops!
Silly me, I should have known! You smell lovely today!
SOTD is Tauer “Eau d’Epices”.
Top: cinnamon, cardamom, clove, coriander and mandarin;
Mid: orange blossom, jasmine, orris and incense;
Base: labdanum, amber, tonka and vetiver.
It’s not nearly as good (on my skin anyway) as that list of notes would have you believe.
Well, we’ve done the deed and signed on the dotted line and now we own a run-down apartment in Malaga with no electricity or water. :^)
The appointment at the notary in Torremolinos started an hour late as some major comms outage in Marbella meant the lawyer had to go to another town to find a bank to print the cheques. Then the appointment itself went on for nearly 2 hours. We had nothing better to be doing and I had read that patience is required with Spanish bureaucracy, but even the Spanish guys thought it unusual.
Afterwards we went for dinner with the estate agents who, although representing the interests of the vendors, had been very helpful and shown us many properties over the months we’ve been looking. I was brave and had the starter of tripe with chickpeas and then the main course was oxtail slow-cooked with dark chocolate and Malaga wine, which was just amazing. By the time we got back to Malaga it was dark, so we’ll go to the apartment tomorrow to take pictures and kick off the next phase of renovation.
The list of notes do sound like the scent should be good. I really like Tauer but have to be in the mood to wear my scents from this line.
Yay for run-down apartments! Just think of the fun you’ll have doing the reno. Wishing you happiness in your new place! ????
Congrats on the new digs! How exciting ✌????
Congratulations on the new apartment! I like Eau d’Épices, but then I like most Tauers.
Kind of melancholy at work today.
Luckily I am in Profumum Vanitas. I may need more when I drain this decant!
So sorry you are feeling melancholy!