Happy Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! (If you've already missed it, hey, there's always tomorrow.) And a few pieces of business: the freebiemeet (where there are still items up for grabs) is open through the end of the day. And the next splitmeet will be two weeks from now, on 17 February.
Meanwhile, our basic vanilla open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the best fragrance to wear while eating ice cream for breakfast, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches [cropped] by Ralph Daily at flickr; some rights reserved.
Rats. I just ate my oats, but ice cream for breakfast sounds great. Looking forward to the Splitmeet.
Reeking havoc today in dabs of Queen, Coromandel and Clinique Aromatics Black Cherry. All wonderful. 🙂
Happy Saturday, all!
Wow, you are reeking havoc! Good for you.
Yay for Saturday! To be honest, the 3 didn’t all go on at once and they are not all in the same spot, of course. And they are just dabs. But I learn a lot from the sniffing comparison.
First, I want to thank you for hosting the Freebiemeet. I was able to find new homes for a bunch of unloved perfumes. It always feels good to be able to pass along usable-but-unused items to someone who can use them.
I have several perfumes, however, that I did not list and am not sure what to do with. These are things that I suspect may possibly have gone off, but I am not sure, because I have no other experiences with them. In other words, these are things I either got in a swapmeet or freebiemeet or else bought from eBay or a thrift shop, and don’t know exactly what they are supposed to smell like. I don’t care for them and would be happy to pass them along, but I am hesitant to list them–even in a Freebiemeet–if by chance they are actually bad. I would feel bad if someone wasted one of their two dibs on something that is no good. OTOH, if they are actually OK, just not my taste, then I would be glad to give them to someone who could use them.
I thought perhaps I could just list them in a regular weekend poll or open thread, and send them to whoever wants them, with a disclaimer that I cannot vouch for their provenance, and that they may or may not be in a good state of preservation.
I’ve seen people list things in freebie/swapmeets with that disclaimer in there! Something to keep in mind for the next round 🙂
May I ask what those scents are?
The one I am most concerned about (that is, most concerned that it may be turned) is a 7.5 ml Hermes Parfum des Merveilles. I know a lot of people love this one, but it was a real scrubber on me. I couldn’t get it off fast enough. Of course, that doesn’t mean it has gone off, but the possibility did occur to me.
There is a 100 ml bottle of Pavlova EdT, about half full, that I got in a swap (or freebie, I don’t remember which), that I jsut don’t care for. I find it smells rather cheap and harsh. That may be a matter of a cheap reformulation or just my taste.
FInally, I have a 50 ml EdT of Germaine Monteil Champagne that I bought on eBay. This one in particular I would like to rehome, as it is long-discontinued, but I am just not sure about it. I remember liking it when I was in college and when it was for sale in the department stores, but I never did get a bottle. Mostly, because I was in college and I didn’t have a whole lot of discretionary income. I was somewhat of a perfume collector even then, but I could only afford an occasional bottle, and that one never got to the top of the buy list. I have given it several tries, but I just don’t care much for it. I don’t know if my tastes have simply changed, or if the prior owner(s) did not store it properly during the past 30+ years.
Oh I’m sorry, especially about the last one 🙁 I think extraits de parfum are slow to go off, fwiw.
Yeah, that one hurts a bit, because I actually paid money for it. I know that is the risk with buying from eBay, but still. The others were free–The Pavlova was a freebie (I checked my emails) and the Hermes PdM was an extra in a swap package.
FWIW, I get a distict hint of vomit from everything in the Merveilles line and can’t handle any of them because of it. So it’s theoretically possible that that one’s totally fine and it just doesn’t suit you.
That’s actually reassuring. I find something really off-putting in the PdM, especially in the top notes. It isn’t just meh or not my style, or even thin or harsh or screechy, but something really vile that makes me wonder how anyone could like it.
YES. THIS. It smells lovely on paper, and is even okay on my skin for about 10 seconds, then…what you said. 🙂 I tried this in-store and was shocked by how terrible it was on me. Must be a skin chemistry thing!
50_Roses, thanks for sharing your experience with the ebay purchase of Germaine Monteil’s Champagne. That was one of my most loved frags in the 80s, and I hated that it was discontinued (guessing GM didn’t have the resources to fight over the name…). I’ve often looked longingly when Champagne shows up on ebay, but I’ve always worried that the scent wouldn’t have held up over time, and have never purchased. I really am sorry that yours isn’t as you remembered/liked. So disappointing. 🙁
I don’t know if it actually has not held up well, if my tastes have just changed, or if maybe the owner of that particular bottle just didn’t store it properly. Some people will keep bottle of perfume in warm, humid bathrooms or in places where they get cooked by direct sunlight. Such a bottle will go off quickly, whereas one stored in a darker, cooler environment will keep much better. I have purchased quite a few bottles from eBay. Full, sealed bottles have invariably been fine, regardless of age. I’ve bought some bottles that i knew had to be at least 40 or 50 years old that smelled amazing. Open, partially used bottles are a crapshoot. If you would like, I could send you the bottle of EdT that I have; if you are familiar with it from back in the day, then probably you can tell whether it is in good condition or not. If it is, you will have it to wear again. If it has actually turned, then you can dispose of it however you wish. You can get my email address from my gravatar. Send me an email with your shipping information and I will get that out to you when I can.
You really can list in a freebiemeet — just tell people what your concerns are! But also, anybody can give away items in the daily polls whenever they like.
I’m planning to do just that. I do have more things to give away, but I cut my list off at 9.
Sipping coffee looking out at the Pacific. So nice to be home if only for two days.
Have the dregs of….and work with me here…goop no. 1.
It’s quite lovely, and I really bought it due to smaller size for travel. It’s sheer and slightly smoky incense feels just right.
Ice cream will be had at some point today!
I must confess, Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good and It’s All Easy cookbooks are by far my favorite cookbooks. Everything that I have made out of them has been amazingly good.
Is there a travel size available for goop no.1?
Duh Sistine
I have jet lag
I bought #3 in the travel size, not #1. I would consider getting 1 and 2 am so pleased with my purchase. Although I admit I felt a little guilty getting a box in the mail the said goop.
I’m not much into the Goop world, I’ve been dying to hear more about the perfumes! All three seem rather up my alley.
Just finished some buttermilk pancakes with freshly grated nutmeg and top-shelf maple syrup — yum!
Sampling a Dame scent called Dessert Rose which is a bit jammy in my opinion. It’s definitely rose-centric but it is not the garden fresh rose that typically turns me off. I think the peach is what gives it its sweet jam bend.
Off to the post office to mail out some freebies and then an early showing of The Post which I’ve been so wanting to see. Cheers!
Let me know what you think of the Post.
I saw Shape of Water a few weeks back, trying to see most of the Oscar movies 🙂
There are some good films out there!
The Post was well done. Merryl Streep was spectacular, Tom Hanks seemed the wrong fit for Bradley. Overall entertaining and interesting film. I’ll need to research if the portrayal of Katharine Graham was accurate or Hollywoodized.
Have you read her terrific autobiography, “Personal History”? Excellent book.
Enjoy the movie and am curiiys to hear what you think of it! I liked it-prompted us to watch All the President’s Men last night.
I bet All the President’s Men has had a resurgence this year! I know Mr. Spicebomb and I also reached for it recently.
The characters in ATPM were so well casted.
Yes, I’m pretty sure it has, too.
ATPM is such a great film! One of my favorites, actually.
I’m fascinated by newspaper businesses and really loved the shots of creating the paper that The Post gave us. Makes me want to subscribe again to an actual paper (vs. online).
Yes, the sound of lots of typewriters at once really adds an air if excitement. I liked ATPM better than The Post. And Jason Robards vs Tom Hanks as Bradley: my vote is for Robards.
I love pancakes, fresh nutmeg and pure maple syrup! Going to see The Post this week.
Ice cream for breakfast day! I did just get a pot of kulfi last night…but a bowl of homemade granola is calling my name.
I’m covered in Iris Fauve today! Yum yum. Today is Chandeleur, which means we’ll be having some friends over for crêpes tonight! We will also have galettes des rois, because it’s only a month since the Fête des Rois, and who doesn’t enjoy a good coronation at a party? Must remember to put those fèves in.
Love your SOTD
MMM, crêpes and galette! Bet they were good.
They were delicious! I’m always pleasantly surprised by how easy those galettes are to make!
It is brutally cold here in Minneapolis (Welcome Super Bowl fans LOL) so I’ve gone a completely different direction and an wearing Sugar Berry by Good Chemistry. Robin, you had it as a Daily Lemming just recently. I hightailed it to Target and got the cheap rollerball. It’s SWEEEEET strawberry goodness, a junior high head rush. It doesn’t seem to last very long so I’ll probably switch to TF Tobacco Vanilla later tonight. That’s ok.
Stay warm!!
Oh good, that sounds like fun!! I still have not gotten myself over to Target. Too cold!
I love the Twin Cities, but one does wonder what they were thinking to host the Superbowl. February is not the month I like to visit MN.
As we commonly say here in the BOLD NORTH, it weeds out the weak. LOL
We also say, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices.
So, you have a balaclava handy for the days when the whipping wind causes your eyes to water and the biting cold promptly freezes them shut when you blink?
I’m in Phoenix. It’s 70 here today, and I’m drinking iced tea. Wearing lily of the valley. Cold weather is below 60. Have fun freezing.
I’m going to guess that Kelly Red would classify that as weak. 😉
Happy Saturday!
Ice cream for breakfast!!
What a great idea!!
I went straight to the freezer to get a Trader Joe’s mini ice cream cone. Delicious!
Not sure what I’ll be wearing after my shower.
I did try the Tar scent from Comme de Garcons yesterday. Surprisingly nice. A smooth smoky and woody scent. Not quite my thing, but the sample went into the “YES” box.
Has anyone else tried it?
No I have not, but it sounds interesting and very CdG! They do smoky and woody quite well.
Is this one of the reissues?
Yes, it is one of the re-issues.
However, it was in a vial and I did not spray it, which could change things substantially.
Ooh that sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the lemming!
Scentless so far, prolly because I woke up early and spent some time reorganizing my samples and was reminded of, oh, about a thousand things I’ve been wanting to try and/or retry and deal with once and for all. Oh, the paralysis of having too many choices – a first world problem indeed. I shall overcome! 😉
Hope they are all organized beautifully now!
Today I am wearing Fils de dieu du riz et des agrumes.
This smells zo good, though the phase after 3 – 4 hours is developing into something slightly too foodie for my taste, but I am glad I have a sample of this! 🙂
I also found out (again) last week, when trying some samples, I really struggle with ‘fruity’.
I tested Onda….(i think its the edp) and it turned out smelling like almost sour cheap fruit candy on my skin. 🙁 It really made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable, so yes… A real scrubber.
A Black Gemstone sample saved the day haha, it blew every last trace of Onda away. Phew.
I also tried La douceur de Siam, by Dusita…i get lots of fruity vibes from it though the note list only mentions lots of florals…To me it smells like some of those shampoos out there (the one in those bright green bottles). I like it a lot, but I just cannot wear it for hours. It is really well done though and if you love fruity tropical florals I recommend trying it.
I hope everybody’s having a great weekend. And whatever happens,
Keep calm and smell good! 😉
I like fruity! But I’m in the small club that wishes all perfumes would disappear just about 3 1/2 hours in.
I’ve come to appreciate shorter longevity, myself. I think it keeps me from getting tired of something so quickly. I think 5 hours is good for me, at least dying down to a skin scent by the 3.5 hour mark.
Funny thing, I really dont mind smelling fruity on other people.
My mother has J’adore and Eternity (somehow this one has fruity vibes to my nose) and I love it when she wears it.
As for the longevity issue, I dont mind a lifespan of a few hours, because then you can wear like 3 or 4 perfumes in one day haha 🙂
But sometimes I crave complex perfumes that offer company for a longer period and shapeshift over time.
I’m in that club for whom many perfumes last 3 1/2 hours, so when they last longer it’s usually a pleasant surprise. And if I could get good projection for that 3 1/2 hours, I’d be thrilled 🙂
I love Fils de Dieu! That was my favorite perfume discovery of 2017. It actually doesn’t get foody on me at all – it stays in the creamy-nutty-woody phase pretty much throughout.
So interesting that Onda smelled like candy on you! I don’t think I have seen anyone mention that yet. I love seeing different takes on perfumes like Onda, which get talked to death until they become almost liturgical. It’s so refreshing to see alternative takes on these types of perfumes.
I don’t generally get foody from it either. Occasionally I’ll get a little hit (a quick blast of lemongrass, etc.) and it will take me by surprise, but also helps me to understand what other people are talking about 😉 In my mind, I’ve classified it as an amber, albeit a year-round one.
I suspect my skin tends to amp the sweet basenotes (vanillas and ambers). Fragrantica does not list vanilla, but on me there is def some vanilla (could also be the amber note).
So Fils de dieu starts to smell to me like a custard/sweet rice porridge after a while. Now I looooove food, I just dont want to smell like it for half a day 😉
Yes after this experience I started to read some reviews…very interesting.
There also seems to be a big difference between edp and perfume extrait.
Usually I dont shy away from a bit weird or dirty, and I also found some aspects in Onda I like (something sweaty and salty, and the honey), but the passion fruit note turned out to be a big no no.
And yes, reading different experiences and views on perfume is fun!
Last night we took our son to his first Pittsburgh Penguins game. They won 7-4, so it was a great first experience for him – lots of goals.. Tried Hiram Green Slowdive (won a set of samples courtesy of Ave Parfum in a Facebook group draw) and got lots of honey and just the barest hints of tobacco. I always wonder if it would be different sprayed. This morning trying Moon Bloom and then will switch to Infusion d’Iris.
That must have been a fun game to see live! The last NHL game I went to was a scoreless tie between the Flames and the Wild. Snoooooooze.
I have a spray sample of Slowdive and it’s the same on me – a honey bomb with just a suggestion of dry, spicy tobacco.
Apparently in France it’s also a crepe day today, that’s what my friend from Paris told me this morning.
I am wearing Laboratorio Olfattivo Daimiris, a hugging blend of suede, saffron and iris. Smells awesome on colder days and perfectly fits a month of irises that I’m doing.
How about crepes with ice cream for breakfast?
Think that would be too much for me
If Lucas doesn’t want it, I’ll take it. Where do you live? 😉
Haha! Bon appetit!
I was sort of hoping someone would make it for me!
I love crepes!!!
I spent 10 days in Bretagne and Normandy last fall, and I ate crepes almost every day. 🙂
The best topping I had was a salted caramel with apple. But that was for lunch.
For a snack I prefer only sugar and maybe some butter on it.
No SOTD yet, but I may join the iris ranks shortly. Just exercised and sipping some Bear strength coffee!
Beauty question for you.. I’ve just ordered some products from Beautylish – the Ordinary primers and also a moisturizer with hylauronic acid. Has anyone tried this line and how do you like it?
I use the Ordinary resveratrol and hyaluronic acid serums and really like both. However, the hyaluronic serum can get a little sticky/ tacky, so I always let it sit for at least 10 minutes before putting moisturizer on top.
Thank you for your input!
It’s hard to find a good primer that isn’t so slick, so I’m hopeful then. I’ve heard that if it’s slightly tacky, that is a good thing.
The prices were so reasonable that I had to try a few items, along with 2 Wayne Goss brushes thrown into my basket (as a treat!)
I’ve tried a bunch of their products. I really dislike all of their Vit C offerings, find most everything else I’ve tried to be too boring to keep me interested (and not that effective,) BUT I love love love their Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.
I’ve used a ton of retinoids over the years and get the best results from this one, plus I like the way it feels on my skin (not drying; slightly hydrating.) I’ve bought it over and over again, and love it enough to have given it out as xmas gifts last year. Plus, you can’t beat the price! It’s available at the US sephora now which should make it super easy (for me) to come by.
I have purchased several from beautylish and have been really happy – I’ve purchased layering products, like the Alpha arbutanol and Niacidamine – also an acid peel – I did get the vitamin C – but it does make my skin burn. You can’t beat it for the price – and it helps you to build good habits
I was looking into the niacinamide serum even though I’m pretty happy with Holy Snails Shark Sauce. Did you like theirs?
I would not recommend their Niacinamide. It balls up your make up as well as any other product you put on top of it. Paula’s choice niacinamide is a much better quality. All of Olay’s serums are loaded with it as well and are better quality
I agree with Clarissa‘s comment regarding makeup consistency– when I don’t wear make up it doesn’t bother me
I can’t say I have used long enough to see a difference – but I like the applicator & the consistency when I apply it
Thanks both!
I’ve used their hyaluronic serum.
I finally bit the bullet after wavering for a year and bought vintners daughter serum.
My skin has a tough time in planes and going from hot to cold and back again.
I have dedicated myself to using the bottle as directed faithfully until empty. No easy task. One week in and I am somewhat in awe.
Thank you everyone for your comments, I am jotting down your choices. This sounds like a new rabbit hole to fall down????.
Fortunately it’s a cheap one 😉
Oh, and will also add that I am pleased with their Lactic Acid 10% + HA. Yet another product that ought not cost more than $10/oz, and I’m happy to see it for much less than that. It can also be challenging to find AHAs that aren’t super drying, and this one isn’t. Has a nice texture, too.
In a wisp of Arielle Shoshona for my Sat. AM layabout. Hubby picked up two tickets yesterday for Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party this evening in SF. Love the theater but I am pretty lazy about schlepping into the city. I will focus on wearing just the right perfume. Maybe Chinchilla?
I took my own fine self on vacation to SF about ten years ago, and it was one of the best vacations ever. I went to three plays over six days, and the prices were so reasonable!
Going on vacation alone is one of the best kept secrets, IMHO.
I hope you enjoy the play tonight, and you smell wonderful in Arielle!
So the Arielle is a funny one for me. I love the way it smells, but I am not sure if I want to smell like it smells. Does that make sense? The jury is still out for me… Anyway, I am enjoying whittling away at my sample of the juice.
I love that you went to SF by yourself and saw three plays in six days! What did you see?
I spent a year traveling alone after college and it cured me of the hankering to hit the road by myself. I had an amazing time, but I really craved close companionship after a year. Now in my dotage? I don’t know… perhaps!
Yes, perfect sense! The Arielle is very different….in the late drydown, I could swear I got some incense. But it’s not listed in the notes. I have a split of it from hajusuuri, and it’s been a lot of fun.
I can only remember the name of one play I saw…Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party. I stayed at the Golden Gate Hotel (which really functions as a B&B), and it was so cool to walk over to the kiosk in Union Square and just pick out a play to see! They were all small playhouses within walking distance of where I was staying.
Wow, traveling for a year sounds like the bees knees. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have had the courage to travel alone when I was college age, so I salute you. Where did you go? I can certainly see how you’d need companionship after a year on the road.
When I think back on it now, my trip was a little nuts. I was 21 years old, had $5K in travelers checks strapped around my waist, and just went. Started in Naxos, Greece (had a friend there), on to Turkey, then back to Europe–a few countries in Europe, then to Africa (Morocco in the north and Kenya in the east–spent a couple of months in Kenya), then to India for a couple of months–the north, and then to China for a couple of months. In China I borrowed a friend’s teaching ID (we looked enough alike and no one ever questioned my right to travel, I paid RMB (Chinese money) not FEC (the foreign exchange) and got to take buses and trains all over some southern and western provinces traveling like a local-sort of 😉 ). My plan had been to wrap things up with a teaching job, English, at Tsinghua University–but the political situation in the country–especially in the universities in Beijing– had gradually been growing tenser while I was there, and the job sort of disappeared. So I went on to Hong Kong for a few days before heading back to the states. That was early June 1989. My flight back to the US was around June 5 or 6th. I was exhausted, broke (I had stayed in a horrible flea infested fire-trap building where all the beds had their legs in cans filled with rat poison–I was seriously over roughing it), and completely oblivious to the extent of the democracy protests and violence happening in Beijing.
And, as they say, the rest is history. The Tiananmen Square protests reached a crisis on June 4, with hundreds of students shot and killed around the perimeter of the square and elsewhere in the city. The US government puts the death toll much higher, over 10,000 civilians killed during the protests.
I really enjoyed your story of your travels 🙂 What interesting lives everyone has led!
Oakland, thanks for sharing your history! It sounds like you had a great time, and I suspect you developed some life skills and self reliance along the way.
I’m so glad you got out of China when you did; it sounds like it was in the nick of time! ????
Have a wonderful evening! I hope positive sides (a play, wearing nice perfume, being out, etc.) will outweigh negatives – though I understand your feelings about getting there, parking, getting out.
I think we’ll BART it… I am just lazy when it comes to evenings out, and that is all there is to it! (I might also be cheap. Cheap and lazy!)
My designated theater perfume is SSS Champagne de Bois. I’ve worn it watching both modern and older plays, comedies, tragedies, etc. and it has worked for all of them. Non-distracting; just a pretty hum in the background.
Chinchilla sounds good, though. I haven’t smelled it but it’s vintage-inspired, no? To go with a “vintage” play?
Incidentally, I have tickets to Mamma Mia tonight (it was included with a subscription package I bought) and am not sure what to wear. Putain des Palaces is usually my go-to for musical theater, but it doesn’t sound quite right for this one. Any suggestions?
Chinchilla does have a vintage vibe, like a treasured fur stole (if one wore such things!) with the hint of perfumes of bygone nights on the town still on it.
Funnily enough, I just watched the movie Mamma Mia about a week or so ago with my family. My sons HATED it–but my husband and I had a good laugh. Problem was that when we went to see the movie the The Post a few days later, I had a terrible urge to burst into ABBA’s Fernando every time Meryl Streep was on the screen. As for perfume to wear to the musical, I think something sunny and vaguely hippie might work. But the music is pure 70s-80s, big hair and big fun. If by some random chance you own Arquiste Ella, that one would be perfect!
That is so funny! I still haven’t seen Mamma Mia, I should.
Thanks for your input, OF. I was thinking about wearing a vanilla, but you steered me in the opposite direction. I was eyeing up my 70s-80s bottles, but went with sunny and bold in Galop d’Hermes, which worked.
The show was actually a blast! I set my expectations low and went in hoping for some fun. Fun it was! I haven’t seen the movie, Robin, but can definitely recommend the theater experience 🙂
CdB is so BEEEG on me, I’d feel a bit self-conscious wearing it in a theater! It’s lovely, but I have to dab it like an 80’s bighitter–Taboo or maybe Youth Dew.
Oh? It’s not big on me at all, so I don’t worry about wearing it. My test is whether my H can smell me in the car. If he can’t smell me in an enclosed space, I figure no one else in close proximity can. 😉
Sounds like a good test! It never ceases to surprise me how different scents can be on different people. I made the mistake of spraying wrists and neck with CdB, and I (and my coat, scarf, etc) smelled of (admittedly delicious) sandalwood for what seemed like a week. I swear it lasted past my shower!
See, I’ve done exactly that (when I first got my bottle) and still had to search it out to smell it – freshly sprayed! Sometimes my nose just doesn’t want to cooperate, though. CdB isn’t a perfume I think of as quiet, but I do tend to spray it pretty heavily.
Well, I had some chocolate (Chocolove dark, 65%, with crystallized ginger) at about the time I normally eat breakfast. Then I sprayed on some MH Geranium Bourbon, which I like to wear year ’round.
Your chocolate sounds divine.
Mmmm, chocolove.
Happy Weekend..its cold outside but sunny!
Black Perfecto is my SOTD and tomorrow is our Crepe day (the day for making crepes at home with some friends)
You smell great!
It’s cool and drippy outside, so no ice cream for me today. I’m trying to warm up with ginger tea with lemon and honey, and several sprays of Dzongkha. First time wearing this – a big thank you to cazaubon and the freebiemeet!
I was in Organza Indecence yesterday, more than a bit tickled at my successful blind buy. I’m curious, NSTers…what do you consider your most successful blind buys? The ones that make you smugly giggle with glee? ????
No ice cream for me either. It’s 68 degrees in the house. I’m resisting the temptation to nudge the thermostat. It’s sunny outside so there’s hope the house will warm up.
Successful blinds buys! Such a fun question. These come to mind:
L’air du desert marocain (so good!!!)
Guerlain Cologne du 68, Insolence EdT, L’Heure Bleue EdT
Library of Flowers Moon Shadow
L. T. Piver Heliotrope Blanc
PW Tea Rose
LADDM, what a fabulous blind buy! I have the little 5ml bottle. So cute.
The 5 ml LADDM is adorable. 🙂
Please if you can elaborate on the LT Piver Heliotrope Blanc. How is the lasting power and does it smell like almonds?
It doesn’t have an almond extract or marzipan smell to me. It’s more blanched almond flour, a hint of playdough, and powdery. A little like Teint de Neige. It’s a soft scent but it lasted 5 or 6 hours on me.
Thank you Elisa!!!! You just saved me from a blind buy down the road 🙂 You are getting an “unenabler pin” from me (which in my book carries more weight-LOL!)
Ha! It’s convinced me that I need to buy some. 😀 *eyes up amazon cart*
Oha, Meteorites, and some vintage D’Orsay perfumes from eBay come to mind. I’ve hardly ever met a vintage frag I actively disliked, so those are pretty safe blind buys for me, provided they haven’t turned. These were full, sealed minis in the original boxes, so not much risk.
Oh, fully sealed minis. Those are real gems!
Since I have just one completely blind buy (we’re not talking decants, are we?), and I still wear it, it’s probably not a failure – CHANEL No 29 Poudre (a friend bought it for me in the UK while it wasn’t available yet in the US). But since then – no blind buys.
Of course we can count decants! ???? That opens the field up considerably. I’d have to list my decant of OJ Woman; forgot about that one.
I’ve tried a sample of the Poudre, from Nordstrom. It’s very pretty, but none of the 19’s have knocked my sock off. Yet.
I think I only have 2 blind-buy bottles: LT Piver Heliotrope Blanc (waves at tiffanie????), which I like well enough, though rarely wear, but it doubles as charming, retro bathroom decor. And Idylle Love Blossom, which I was tentative about initially, but love it now and wear it a lot after evening showers.
Yay for Piver! Someday I will try more of their scents. A few weeks ago I accidentally layered Heliotrope Blanc with L’Heuere Bleue edp. It was heavenly.
Yay! I should try that. I can see them working well together.
It looks like others are better at not blind buying than I am. ????
Glad you could find an alternate use for the Piver!
Having access to a lot to sniff helps for sure. But I’m just generally cautious anyway, don’t have a lot of storage space, and don’t really want to then end up spending more money to try to rehome. So that’s what keeps me restrained for the most part.
This, this, and this. And will add that I’d rather invest my perfume dollars in something I know I really want.
I have an unofficial “no blind buys” rule, but I broke it this year to get some vintage Rochas Femme (it was a gift set that included PdT and extrait). I broke my rule because I knew I wanted it in my collection regardless of whether I loved it or not, but based on everything I’d read (I read extensively before buying) I was pretty sure I’d love it – and I did.
Other than that sort of collection piece buy, I am pretty strict about sampling before buying!
I don’t have that many blind-buy bottles, either. The one that comes to mind is LPRN Black Perfecto, which was a great success 🙂
That one gets a lot of love around here, that’s for sure.
Blind buys! I have gotten much better about not doing those, but then again I have found some delights that way. I think YSL Champagne parfum is my most favorite BB (so far)
Ah, that one is on my list to sniff. I need to stay away from fragrancenet! That will solve most of the problem, actually.
I’ve only done two blind buys. My first was EdM after seeing all the rave reviews. I loved it and drained the little 15ml bottle quickly. The second was Cristalle, which also gets rave reviews but was a miss for me. I have rehomed that bottle.
I don’t do blind buys anymore, I guess you could say I am not much of a gambler.????
You are strong, sistah! ????
And hey, I couldn’t get enthused about Cristalle, either.
L’Artisan Al Oudh and Narciso Rodriguez For Her were both (100ml!) blind buys that became favorites. But I’ve also blind bought several duds. Now I only blind buy minis . . .
Very wise. I’m trying to learn from my ‘mistakes’, or at least rehome them with others. ????
I had one blind buy I still love, Moon Bloom, but it was a 5 ml travel spray so its almost a big sample. 🙂
My other blind buy was Bvlgari Black and I swapped it.
I no longer do blind buys and no impulse buys either. Some impulse buys I did are not used/given away as well.
I am keeping away from discount websites. I only buy something when I wore it at least three to five times (or sample drained) and its a big love. Since I made that rule I made fewer purchases and I am totally fine with it.
I have a sea of samples so I already have enough variety in my collection.
I don’t think I’ve blind bought any full bottles, but I have blind swapped for many. My most successful blind swaps are SSS Rose Musc and Champagne de Bois! I’ve had pretty good luck with blind swaps 🙂
Best blind buy was Rundholz 3.April.1968 and Piguet Casbah. I love incense. But SL Serge Noire and the Aedes/L’Artisan collaboration were horrible incense fails, so I have sworn off blind buying.
That ice cream sandwich looks delicious.
SotD = Hiris
Breakfast = oatmeal + almond milk, then a square from a bar of dark chocolate with almonds. I eat almonds every day. I like almond-y fragrances. Mmmmm, almonds.
Just finished reading The Leisure Seeker and would like to see the movie. Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland are two of my favorite actors. They both have enthralling voices.
Hope everyone takes time to ignore the to-do list and enjoy the day. 🙂
Gosh, almonds are one of my favorite smells. One time when I was a teenager I accidentally broke a small bottle of amaretto flavoring in my parents’ pantry and it smelled absolutely heavenly – enough that I still remember it at least ten years later!
oooh, I bet your parents were less than thrilled, but what a great smell.
I don’t indulge, but even so I do adore the smell of amaretto.
I’m with you on the almonds – love to eat ’em and can’t find enough perfumes that smell like ’em 🙂
Yes, we need more almond-y perfumes. I really enjoy Prada’s Amande, but it is not very almond-y.
I love that one, too, but it doesn’t quite satisfy all my almond fantasies. It’s cozy and fluffy and yummy, though.
Have you ever tried Rosine Roses Des Neiges? I got the most gorgeous powdery almond drydown from that one. I haven’t read any reviews that mention it, though, which made me wonder if I was imagining things. 😉 (It was the experience I had every time I wore it, though, from a 2-3 ml decant.)
If anyone wanted to do a split of that one, I would take a very large sample. Just sayin’.
I am on the hunt for a perfect almond scent. If you find yours, please let me know 🙂
Will do! Berdoues has an Amande & Tonka I would love to smell. I’ll keep my eyes peeled and nose to the ground. 😀
ha! that one is on my list!!!! If you do get to sample it please let me know your thoughts.
L’eau d’Hiver works for me.
Yum. I don’t think of it as primarily almond, but still, yum.
L’Occitane almond body oil! Raw, young almonds that settle on your skin in a powdery veil!
I love Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland as well. I miss Alan Rickman, RIP.
My latest purchase of samples from Luckyscent areived a couple of days ago, and there are some very nice things that will do my finances no good. I’m finishing breakfast in a dab of Mona di Orio’s Dojima, I’m enjoying it so far, but need a bit more time with it. But, oh dear, I also got a sample of Dusita’s Le Sillage Blanc – it’s stunning. I can never describe perfumes well, this is green and vintagey and to me those words mean good things! Once again, I’ve ignored my mantra “Don’t try the expensive ones in case you like them”. Bother.
Sounds good! I have been curious about this line
Alternately–you could embrace trying the expensive ones and then really savor them when you find something amazing. One piece of beautiful, homemade chocolate cake is easily more worthy than a 1 pound box of drug store chocolates. 🙂
Le sillage blanc is good! Only wore it one time so far but I was impressed. To me it is the more accessible and more carefree sister of Bandit 🙂 Haha
My vote would be to wear Pancakes for Breakfast while eating ice cream for breakfast. A little lemony sherbet yummy delight.
Oh, you win!
Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie for breakfast this morning. I’d love to say I knew about Ice Cream for Breakfast day before that went down, but that would be a lie. 🙂 Trying Xerjoff Shingl today, which is…absolutely fine. Which for me is a sort of damning praise.
Ben & Jerry’s twins! 😀
Yay!
And I’d just like to thank you for last week’s discussion of chocolate rice pudding! I haven’t yet made the one you gave a link to, but inspired by that, I’ve tried a recipe that used ingredients I had in the house – it was lovely, and there are lots more recipes out there 🙂
Oh that’s so nice to hear! I’m always glad to spread the gospel of sugar. 🙂
I’m trying Andy Tauer’s Pentachord White today. It’s a sweet iris which is not usually my thing, but I’m really digging it for some reason. (I usually prefer the drier iris perfumes.). I just pulled out my iris samples and had 18, so between samples and full bottles, I am set for iris month.
Just trying to recover from a very difficult circuit workout. I love my trainer, but sometimes I wonder if she’s trying to kill me.
Have a wonderful, fragrant weekend everyone!!
Just make sure your trainer knows she’s not in your will 😉
Enjoy your weekend!
I have not even heard of this! I love Tauer. Was that a limited edition?
Yes, it was a LE series, I think each perfume was composed of five notes each, hence the Pentachord name.
Attended the opening of a Todd Oldham retrospective. It was very interesting to see the designs up close. Some beautiful pieces.
Not an ice cream fan except two or three times in the summer so I enjoyed my regular breakfast of coffee before starting chores.
SOTD is Black Afgano by Nasomatto. Love it.
I’ve not smelled any Nasomatto scents, but I always do a double take when I see their bottles. Those caps! They’re perfect.
They are indeed beautiful. But, alas, not very budget friendly.
Oh, that sounds like great fun – the Todd Oldham show.
I had no idea there were such people on earth as those who are not ice cream fans. Party of 1, perhaps? 😉
Generally it is a supplement to cake. ????????
Ha! That’s actually when I skip it. I may be a party of 1 in that I do not like other desserts (cake, pie, brownies, crumbles, tarts, bread pudding, etc etc etc.) served with ice cream. I love all of the above – eaten separately ;D
In Guerlain Meteorites today. I was in a sort of spring flowers mode this week–AG Rose Absolue, AG La Violette, Secret Garden, Coup de Foudre–so I am continuing the theme. Yesterday was the exception, as I picked the “winter” scent in the Community Project, so I wore SSS Winter Woods.
I didn’t get to wear my Winter Woods: too warm for it. But you smell great!
You should try it in the warm weather. On my skin the heat amps up the amber which smells like vanilla.
I go through phases of obsessively trying to find a bottle of Meteorites. I won’t ask you how gorgeous it is *plugs ears & nose.*
I had forgotten about my bottle of Meteorites, just sprayed some now. It’s lovely.
Vintage-ish Chamade EdT. More intense in every direction than the new stuff. I’m still in the heart and it’s glorious.
Happy Saturday everyone!
For me Chamade associates with Spring, and I look forward to wearing it soon. You smell wonderful!
It’s gorgeous stuff, perhaps my favorite Jean Paul Guerlain. That deep 10 hour dry down is so heartstopping…!
I’ve just organized all my iris fragrances on the top of my dresser, a total of 19 all together. I put on my LL Iris 39 oil and am loving it today.
Off to make some beef and barley soup.
Good job! 🙂
Iris 39 is one of my favorites and on this month’s schedule as well.
This week I had barley and mushroom soup (just finished it yesterday) – it was good.
Thank you!! I didn’t think I had THAT many.
You smell great today!
Thank you. I think it’s the cool weather that makes this so good today. The humidity outside is making it feel colder than it really is.
I also like it when it’s cold out, and sunny. I think it’s a sparkling iris!
Your soup and your fragrances sound wonderful. Potato soup is on the menu for us tonight. ????
Oh yum! Potato soup is awesome, especially when you add the bacon, cheese and green onions as toppers 🙂
You are so correct! And I add a few ounces of cream cheese to rich it up even more.
You’re my hero ????
Ooooh, cream cheese!
I’m going to make the same this weekend.
I don’t think I’d be able to come up with more than a handful of iris perfumes. Have fun!
No ice cream in my breakfast, but I did throw a wee scoop of Ben & Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns into a smoothie that I made for lunch.
I *finally* found a bottle of Old Spice Original cologne at Walgreen’s today. I love old fashioned colognes and I’ve been looking for it for awhile, so that’s my SOTD. It’s surprisingly feminine. I get a powdery floral (rose? carnation?) with soft spices and maybe some sandalwood in the base. I think it’ll be a perfect no-brainer scent for work, since it’s so light.
My Gypsy Water perfume oil from the freebiemeet just arrived today as well, so that’ll be my post-shower scent. It’s a good day for perfume!
Old Spice was originally meant for and marketed for women (I think 1938 was the release date) but was later rebranded and marketed for men. Years ago I had a boss who wore it daily and it smelled amazing on him.
Carnation!! If you can find vintage, it’s spectacular. (But too heavy for work, possibly.)
I got to smell Eau Sauvage Parfum this morning. Since I didn’t really know anything about it, I neglected to ask whether it was the 2012 version or the 2017 version. It smelled quite yummy in a sandalwoody kind of way, although Memory of Scent is probably more accurate in detecting bergamot, myrrh, licorice, and vetiver.
https://memoryofscent.com/2014/05/25/christian-dior-eau-sauvage-parfum-scent-as-memory/
Most importantly, NO nasty spiky woods or other hackneyed base notes. Obviously, this woody oriental scent has NOTHING to do with the original fresh, dissonant Eau Sauvage, but it certainly smells good.
The person wearing it told me what he really loves is the Eau Sauvage Fraîcheur Cuir, which I see appealed to Kevin (and commenter sinnerman) as well.
https://nstperfume.com/2012/08/15/christian-dior-eau-sauvage-parfum-fragrance-review/
Has anyone smelled either ES Parfum or ESFC?
Ooh, thanks for the ES Parfum review. I love Eau Sauvage and should’ve tried the Parfum while I was at Sephora yesterday!
There are so many different versions and iterations now. Some basenotes commenters really like this 2017 version. I hope you’ll give it a try next time and report back.
Definitely try the Parfum the next time you’re at Sephora, I actually prefer it to the original.
Boo hiss, my Sephora did not have it.
Actually, it is showing up on the website as OUT OF STOCK. 🙁
Buy Low
Sell High
SOTD = Diptique Volutes EDP
I am participating in Undina’s Iris Month. This is the counterpoint to the EDT I wore yesterday. I did a quick list of the iris-centric perfumes I have and I have enough bottles to wear a different perfume everyday; however, my No. 19 EDP may get more wearing as it is my armor.
It’s a very crisp cold day today and we will be getting precipitation tomorrow – yuck!
Stats time! I had been keeping track of my daily perfume wear. If I layered, I counted each perfume layer individually. According to my trusty spreadsheet, I wore 27 different perfumes from 20 houses. My most worn house was Chanel at 5, followed by Guerlain at 3. My most worn perfumes include Cuir Beluga (3x) and 2x each for No. 19, Orange Sanguine (Barcelona vacation) and Slowdive. There you have it. If I remember, I will post my stats monthly.
Commuting Woes No. 408:
Don’t you hate it when people talk loudly on their cell phones? It’s worse in an enclosed area like a train car. Yesterday, the guy in front of me was on the phone for the entire 18 minute ride after we got out of the tunnel. He apparently works in the movie distribution industry and was talking about joining a movie subscription for $10 a month whereby he can watch 1 movie a day in a theater. Also, the top salesperson apparently is not familiar with their product line and kept promising buyers that the company will host all sorts of things and it was left up to people like him to scramble to do whatever is needed. Anyway, while he was on the phone, he kept going, Hello, Hello, I have a bad connection and I was thinking to myself What the? Mine was perfectly fine and while I don’t know which carrier he uses, the person he was talking to was probably sick at his yammering and stopped listening OR, there’s really no one at the other end because the longest pause I heard from his end was about 2 seconds after every few minutes. Ugh, I wish I had a cell phone jamming device but then again, that really won’t be effective for someone pretending to talk to another person. Oh yes, and he said he just replaced his phone and he was in and out of the store in 20 minutes…the fastest ever! How is this even possible? Even with a good SA at a Verizon store, my transactions take at least 40 minutes if not longer!
I’ll post separately of the perfumes I am thinking of splitting. In the meantime, I have some decanting and sample gathering to do for “non-official” freebies.
I don’t mind talking as much as people who are listening to music or watching videos without headphones. But, same idea, different peeve.
FWIW, I have a couple of friends who got Moviepass, which is that subscription service and it’s a good deal if you see a movie a month and lots of theaters participate. They’re pleased so far. I almost did it myself but there were way too many negative reviews early on, mostly re technical glitches, and inadequate customer support. I’ll wait and see if they’ve sorted out some of the glitches before I consider it.
One doesn’t even need technology to be noisy annoying. How could 2 unmarried people who see each other everyday on the train have so much stuff to talk about? I swear I’ve heard them repeat some of the same stories over and over again!
Cuir Beluga, so perfectly comforting. I thank you for suggesting this one to me, at a time when I really needed it.
It is so cozy and comforting. I am glad it worked for you!
Would love to see that in a split –
Or hopefully Black Perfecto
Hint hint….
I’ll do Black Perfecto as part of the swap meet.
I just started keeping track of what I wear this year. In January I wore 24 different perfumes, mostly from samples, and my most worn house was L’Artisan with 3, followed by Tauer with 2, so I am really mixing things up! I’m going to try to continue to keep track for the whole year.
I lasted 10 days last year but I will try to be more disciplined this year.
Hey there!
1) Do post your stats- it would kinda point us t your overall taste.
2) On the commuter talking ahead of you: He was talking about a company called MoviePass, which is very interesting. In exchange for the all you can see, the company has data gathering capability that they use to sell to movie distributors (the guy who was talking) to give direction to type of films that are being seen and where- and potentially, to give direction to the type of movies MADE.
MoviePass has issues already with AMC (a major movie theater chain) where MP will NOT cover ten of the busier AMC theaters in the country, whilst asking AMC to pony up a percentage of concessions sales (the profit margin for a movie theater) .
Fandor had entered an agreement with MoviePass (through Costco) allowing consmers access to Indie/small distributor films via streaming.
There are very real issues with MP in terms of consumer data privacy, selective data picking and stats, and general revenue sharing for movie chains, which is very slim to start with.
3) If he works for a movie distributor, this person should be very skeptical about MP- it is a monetary threat to his business.
4) Having said all that, people who work in certain fields should be more circumspect about what they talk about on the train.
5) Let us know about your splits!
I’m still a little baffled how theaters are gaining from participating in MP, though I’ve heard that they make more money from concessions than from the movie. Maybe it’s an attempt to get people going to actual theaters, rather than home viewing?
It must be about getting people back in theaters, mainly, plus eating and drinking there. I’ve read that Angelika theaters are included, and they serve alcohol and food, I think.
Yup! Concession sales are BIG. Here in Oregon many theatres make 2x much money on concessions as they do tickets, and that is part of what MP wants.
How it works is that Movie Pass pays part of the actual movie ticket- in return they get a cut of the concessions AND they get to keep all the data about the individual movie goer who checks in with the app. So Movie Pass can lose money short term but they would make MORE money based on concessions and selling patron data.
As someone who has worked (briefly) in the movie business, I say NO THANKS.
So they sell your info and habits to advertisers?!
Oh, that sounds nefarious!
Friend, it is SOMETHING else! The thing with the data is HUGE; in theory this could help indie movie producers with financing BUT it also could perform a sort of confirmation bias.
I love your description of No.19 as “my armor.” It is the same for me. I track my daily worn perfumes on basenotes and it is my #1 most worn (well, most-tracked, anyway).
Here is where I am having a hard time: I frequently see it pop up in discussions of iris (my favorite note). Yet in all my wearings of No.19, I don’t think I have ever once thought of it as iris-centric. To me, it’s like talking about [insert note here: jasmine/rose/ylang/etc] perfumes and citing No.5 as an example. I wish I could smell iris in No.19, but like with No.5, I am only able to smell the sum of its parts. It makes me feel like an absolute crazy person that I can’t smell iris in No.19.
I wear an average of 5 sprays of the EDP. How many do you use?
Loud talking and music on public transit is the bane of my existence in Montreal. Also people eating. I think about all the germs in the metro and wonder why you would want to eat there?
Stuck in the Miami airport. I don’t recommend American Airlines if there is any other alternative. My consolation is the perfume. I’ve sniffed my way through duty free. Got my nose on Black Phantom and am glad that I didn’t blind buy. The bottle is pretty though. I took advantage of off-site storage today in Dune.
Blurgh. Not a pleadant way to end a vacation when you just want to get home already. Hope you had a great time and some escape from winter! Dune. Yum.
Hi Elisa! We had a wonderful time. The ship was less than a year old so everything was sparkling. We assigned to a gorgeous cabin that was meant for handicapped so it was huge compared to others. The food was phenominal and the entertainment was top notch. It was amazing! Almost worth being trapped at the airport for 6 hours today. ????
Sounds fabulous! 6 hours ???? Yikes!
I’m sure all you want to do is get home, but glad you had a great time away.
We were held up about that long when we were leaving for a vacation to Mexico. We weren’t notified until we were on the plane that it was due to a medical emergency. If the airline let us know before hand what the problem was, we wouldn’t have been so upset. Thankfully there was a restaurant/bar close by for us to spend the time.
Chores and errands in no 5 edt earlier. Breakfast was bacon and an omelette, but ice cream would’ve been nice. That ice cream sandwich looks good. Nice colors!
Will switch to Hendley Bourbon edc later before going out this evening to give my sample a proper wearing. It’s quite nice and I actually enjoy the vanilla in this one.
ooooh, Henley Bourbon, that’s got to be a good one to try. I lost track of samples of Gia and Auric from that line. Found them when I was tidying up this week. I gave them quick sniffs and swooned a bit. They are now at the top of the sample stack.
I got to Hendley late in the game so missed out on those, but descriptions of those sound lovely.
This sounds good!( I adore boozy scents!) I had to search for previous posts about Hendley Bourbon. Hope I can locate a sample.
Not sure if he ships internationally but I think Indiescents does-though shipping is always so much $$ it seems.
I want to try that edc. The earlier incarnation was a bit much for me but the edc sounds great.
It is good. I’m not particularly interested in the extrait for the same reason. The opening bergamot is so juicy and natural smelling. I wish the top notes lasted, but even the vanilla is on the light side and not overly sweet. And it’s a super good deal ($12 travel spray ????).
Wearing Amouage 25 and feeling rather glamorous, even if it’s a low-key day of chores.
Why not feel glam while doing chores?
I feel like this when I wear no. 19 while running errands. Go glam!
You smell fab! 🙂
I stopped in at the local supermarket just before dinnertime and while standing in line, smelled a strong whiff of interesting perfume. I was trying to decipher it and could only guess at honeysuckle, but it had a sharp, pungent edge to it and, short of sniffing out loud, I had to let it be. I couldn’t contain myself any longer when I got to the register. The young Asian girl didn’t look right for that scent and I couldn’t see who was behind me. So I just asked a bit loudly who smelled so wonderful. The young girl said she wasn’t wearing any scent and the woman behind me broke off her intense conversation with a man to say, “It must be me, then.”
I turned to see a mature, sophisticated-looking lady. She was obviously keen to get back to her conversation, so I just complimented her and asked for the name. “Louis Vuitton”.
At home, I quickly searched for info and the only one with notes that sounded like it might fit is “Turbulences”, which contains tuberose. (I wear Carnal Flower all the time, but love heavy-hitting Middle Eastern scents and patchouli, so maybe…) And about a year ago, remembering vintage White Shoulders, I thought that was tuberose and it turns out it was honeysuckle, so maybe this was tuberose?
I’ll have to try to get a sample, as I have not seen this woman before in my area. I was intrigued by the scent, but if it’s that strong all the time, it is too much.
Just clarifyking my rather garbled post. I thought I smelled honeysuckle, but none of the LV’s have honeysuckle. Turbulences has a strong tuberose note.
Has anyone sampled this?
I wore Turbulences many many years ago but am not sure how current formulation smells. I remember the look of the bottle more than the actual fragrance but I do believe it was a white floral.
I wore the one by Revillon which is a completely different scent.
I haven’t, but just wanted to say nice detective work!
I have tested LV Turbulences, it is lovely.
Hey All-
1) Caught a cold while at the doctor’s office – UGH! Took the day off yesterday to rest and NOT share my nasty cold germs And I am feeling much better already – seriously plenty of hot herbal tea (mint & hibiscus) and lots of rest (Nyquil and 12-15 hours of sleep) has made me feel back to 80%. Am going out for a green juice – ice cream will need to wait for another leisurely week!
2) Mild weather still – a high of 56F today- and throughout the week.
3) Am still in PJs but will be taking a shower in Blue Skies (lush) and venturing out for a green juice & rummage at Fumerie. This morning I did have hot chai tea and homemade waffle drizzled wth cashew butter and maple syrup.
Doctors offices, and more specifically waiting rooms are like Petri dishes! I had to take my daughter in earlier this week and we both put on masks as we entered the clinic and I gave her specific instructions not to touch a thing.
I’m glad you are feeling better!
You are so right! Ugh! And thank you! I feel way more refreshed and less congested!
When commuting, I don’t think twice about moving seats when I am sitting next to a sneezy and/or coughy person, burrowing my face into my scarf (if I couldn’t…but this only works when it is cool / cold out) and if I have to hold on to a pole, I use a napkin/tissue.
I am thinking about carrying those disinfectant wipes with me on the bus.
I try to stand and loop my arm around the pole so only my sleeve touches it. And I wear my gloves as long as I possibly can, weather permitting.
Hello from NJ, where it sure is cold. My FIL passed away so we are sitting Shiva. Wish I had had ice cream for breakfast, does rugelach count? Oh we have so much food here. I brought De Profundis, OJ Black Gold, Aftelier Ancient Resins, and AP Bois d’Encens. I’ve discovered that a spray on the back of my neck wafts beautifully all day, how did I not know this before? Be well, all.
Cold, but at least sunny on the other side of the river, anyway. My condolences to you and your husband and hope you all are holding up ok.
And it depends where the rugelach are from; not all created equal.
For sure… The stuff from Juniors is great, but the rest, not so much.
Thanks for the condolences.
Thank you all for your kind thoughts, they mean a lot.
I’m sorry for your loss Pixel. Sending healing thoughts to you and your family.
Thank you.
My condolences, pixel. I wish you all strength.
Pixel, I am so sorry to hear about your FIL’s passing. Sending you, your husband and the rest of the family comfort and peace.
Deep condolences to you and your family, pixel. Take care of yourself during this sad time.
So sorry for your family’s loss. Wishing you all comfort and support.
So sorry for yours and your husband’s loss.
Adding my condolences for you families loss. Peaceful thoughts to you and your husband.
Pixel, please accept my condolences on the passing of your father in law.
Adding my sympathies, Pixel. Hope your husband is doing ok.
Very sorry about your sad news. I hope the coming days pass quickly and the memories are good ones.
Pixel – so sorry for your loss, wishing you both peace & comfort. Your selection all perfect choices
I’m so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your husband’s family.
Thank you all for your kind thoughts, they mean a lot.
Baruch dayan ha emet. My condolences to you and your husband. Your scent choices sound perfect.
So sorry to hear this. I hope you and your husband are ok. My condolences.
My teenager and I made a trip out to Sephora yesterday afternoon and I am wearing my sample of Iris Rebelle. I really like it, but I tend to have a soft spot for the Atelier’s, I find them really uncomplicated and easy for me to wear. With that being said, this one seems to have quite the issue with longevity as I have reapplied twice already today and it is barely there. At first spray and on the paper strip in the store it reminded me of a less lipstick-y version of Replicas Lipstick On. I made this remark to the SA as she made up my sample and she said she thought the same. My one perfume resolution for this year (I know that was last weekends poll) is no more buying samples! Oy. I recently tallied up what I have spent at Luckyscent over the past few years just on samples and I was slightly horrified. I am going to try and participate in the freebie, swap and splitmeets. And get them the old fashioned way: asking for them.
Has anyone else tried this and can recommend a similar but longer lasting scent?
Sephoras is a great place to obtain samples when one is on a tight budget. And each person gets three free samples (including face products…really anything in the store that has a tester can be turned into a sample). IF you go with your daughter you can get six perfume samples together and then share them. Have you tried a carrier oil on your wrist to make the scent last longer? That always works for me as I have scent eating skin. I also really like the Atelier offerings, they are very versatile, pleasant and very office friendly.
I will have try it with an oil, it’s a really lovely scent and would definitely be office friendly. Yes, I love getting free samples from Sephora and I’m also not above asking at my local department stores.( I’m not as timid as I was in my younger years.) that’s how I’ve gotten to try many of the Chanel’s.
The only store where I have never been successful in getting a perfume sample is L’Occitane.
Once again, I will state that I MUST go shopping with YOU one of these days!!!
Ugh. They do that stupid “spray it on a ribbon wrapped around your wrist” thing.
Marjorie Rose – they also spray the tissue and I have to tell them not to.
I had the same experience with Iris Rebelle. I loved it, especially the carrot notes, but it didn’t last even two hours on my skin. I’ll enjoy using up the sample, but can’t justify a purchase.
Interesting, it is really not that short lived on me!
I have also stopped buying samples. $$$! Plus I am drowning in them. Iris Rebelle was very brief on me as well.
I’m doing yesterday’s community project today. I randomly chose and am wearing Demeter Thunderstorm. Either we’re going to have an early spring or it’s going to snow within a week. :/
Oh dear.
SOTD- Ostara. Happy that I did not blind buy this one. I can see why it would get a lot of love but I don’t need or want a full bottle.
Last actual full bottle blind buy was my Assam of India which I bought in April 2016 and then wore it for seven weeks straight in the summer of 2016. I guess you could say that was a successful blind buy.
I also blind bought Assam of India. Very glad I did. I think it probably is more of a summer scent nevertheless it has been getting winter wear in the office. With cold germs going around in our house I’ve been also using some of my lighter fragrances to spray bedlinen and upholstery. Assam and Acqua di Genova have kept me cold free!
I actually do like Assam in the winter too….the cold weather brings out the sandalwood on my skin. I think you are also on to something in spraying the bedlinen! I have used some of my citrus scents at work to spray my hands throughout the day…..I smell good and the alcohol keeps germs at bay.
Oooh!! Perfume as a prophylactic? No further justification needed for purchases, then! Yay!
Ha ha! But seriously, why not? It is after all alcohol…rather than two sprays on the wrist I do two sprays on the finger tips.
SOTD: Lipstick Rose. It is not exactly warm out, but there are hints of spring on the way (my bulbs are about 6 inches out of the ground, now), so I am celebrating with a light pretty floral and short pants.
COTW (Chocolates of the Week): Divine Milk Chocolate bar versus Green and Black Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt.
Divine: nice, small blocks of chocolate, which break pretty well along the line. Creamy, but still firm, chocolate that resists melting in the mouth, but has a good mouth-feel. Strong vanilla flavor that’s almost fruity in aroma.
B&G Milk + Sea Salt: the salt adds richness, which is welcome and usually missing without the extra cocoa of a dark chocolate. Very firm, and does not break along the lines very cleanly. Larger squares make it a little easier to eat more than I mean to, but rich, earthy flavor makes up for that some, since it is worth savoring.
Verdict? Both are good and clearly require more testing!
More testing, for science, of course!
MUCH data to be collected. Fastidiously. 😉
Congratulations on the bulbs showing, that is definitely reason to celebrate!
I kinda feel mean to mention it. I know friends in the midwest who have another 6 weeks or so to have flowers that far along!
It’s a gross grey, drizzly day in Seattle and both humid and chilly. Went to the PO and mailed freebie packages the to brunch and the grocery. Now I’m happily in and relaxing for the rest of the day. I’m wearing PG Cuir d’Iris, which I like so much. It smells so much like their pricey Arabian Horse that I love. However…I just did some searching and it seems impossible to find. Of course it is. I should really start looking into the availability of perfumes before I let myself fall in love with them.
We had the gross grey, drizzly day here today! You must have sent it to us.
The CdI got discontinued, that’s too bad!
I’ve made several comments in the past about not liking vanilla scents; HOWEVER I tested Vanilla Flash for the first time today and I think I’ve found my vanilla. Plus it’s very affordable 🙂
If you’re going to buy it, do so soon. There’s some issue with the raw materials for that one affecting availability.
Thanks for the tip! It’s out of stock at Luckyscent already . . .
Back from a busy day outside running errands and doing shopping. We also had brunch and indulged in some coffee ice cream. After, we went to see the The Shape of Water. I am resting now for a while and then up to organize all the shopping.
SOTD Tokyo Milk Dark Excess (thanks to one of the freebiemeets from Hajusuuri). I have worn this many times and I have liked it, but lately it is not working for me. I do not know if it is the oak note. I will try a couple of more times, but I am not so sure about it anymore.
Hope you all are having a great weekend.
Maybe it’s too cold to wear it now?
That’s what I am also thinking. I performs better in warm weather.
Coffee ice cream is my favorite. Especially topped with hot fudge. Sounds like you had a great day!
And if you top it with a cherry is heavenly!
And the Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz is my favorite coffee ice cream. It is delish!
I love that flavor!
The best!
Oh, that one IS good. Sadly, in my “newly” lactose-intolerant state, I haven’t had it in AGES.
I only have serious problems with lactoseif I drink milk. It is horrible. However any other dairy products I tolerate pretty well. Fortunately, I still can have ice cream.
Now I am lemming this. Is it calorie-free? ????
Sorry! It is NOT! 😀 😀 😀
Not calorie-free, but if you have a cone instead of lunch, you’d probably come out ahead. 😀
Coffee ice cream + hot fudge sauce = ????????????????
Oh no! I am craving for it now! 😀
Speaking of vanilla:
For the second time, I tried Ambre Éternel from Guerlain’s (pseudo-)exclusive Absolus d’Orient collection on my left hand, while my right hand received a good Labdanum 18-treatment from Le Labo, which my nose reads as cistus, baby powder, moist vanilla, valerian tincture and ammoniac. It reminds me strongly of the first Helmut Lang but with a weird urinous heart.
Ambre Éternel I already love; it reminds me of Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris and Dries van Noten by Frederic Malle – plus a sensationally addictive, somehow salty opening chord. Luca Turin’s description of a giant grey ghost appearing and disappearing in front of him matches spot on my own sensation of it. It’s in particular the „gris“ opening that strongly moves me.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling that I might have a subtle allergic reaction to something in the head/heart note. It’s the firt time I ever experience something like this. I want to try it once more, applying it more generously on my neck to see if my throat really reacts to it.
Does anyone have negative experience with Ambre Éternel? Kafkaesqueblog has a scary story to tell in this regard.
No experience, but please be careful!
I agree with Sistine! Be sure to have Benadryl on hand when you try it.
Last night after my daughter took a shower, I noticed I smelled perfume. I couldn’t place it, so asked her what did she spray. Turned out to be Alien essence absolute. It smelled so good on her. Very creamy and powdery. So today I decided to wear it, and it really wasn’t the same. It still smelled good, but I don’t get the creaminess. I’m attributing it to her having younger more hydrated skin. Dang it!☺. Home from work now, and switched to Narciso white cube, because I do get creamy musk, and love it. I’m having a unexpected day off tomorrow, due to car problems. Fingers crossed it’s a cheap fix!
Good luck with the car troubles. We spent a boatload on those this year until we found an honest mechanic. I hope you have one! 🙂
Ugh, good luck with the car!
Sending good thoughts for the car gods to be with you. That is never fun.
It’s also possible it smells different at a distance.
Very true. I really should try and not constantly be sniffing my wrist, and concentrate more on the scent around me.
Good luck with the car! I hope the price to repair it is way less than you expect.
No way! We just checked out a Richard Scarry book called Ice Cream For Breakfast this week. What a coincidence!
I wore Eau des Merveilles today, for the first time since last summer. It really hit the spot.
Perfect! And you do smell great (or you did yesterday, I am way late)
PSA, specially to Sapphire: Sephora has triple points for fragrance purchases until February 14.
So here’s what I am planning to split: I already have the bottles on hand
1. Guerlain Baiser de Russie – just bought at full price from Bergdorf. Will open to provide a sample for a special perfumista…otherwise, untouched. I will include a freebie from the beauty bag I received with this purchase.
2. Guerlain Lui – Bought from Bergdorf in December, unused since I have a generous decant from the SA. I leveraged the Gift Card event so this will be at a close to 20% discount, partially offset by the NJ tax paid.
3. Dusita La Douceur de Siam – LuckyScent purchase in December, unused. I paid shipping and got the GWP instead (I hate the one code only policy) so will not add the cost of the shipping I paid to the per mL price.
4. Grandiflora Queen of the Night – same as the Dusita.
<3 Thank you! I am very excited for the split meet
Yes! – MORE grandiflora for Me-
thanks to Calypso for my 1st split- you will have many takers no doubt!!
These are awesome splits, I will be dropping you a note to reserve a spot 🙂
Small PSAs:
1) On http://www.jamesheeley.com – free shipping for all orders of 12€ and above placed on or before the 15th of February.
2) uk.lush.com/products/mothers-day – UK Lush released Mother’s Day collection on their website. I am sure Lush in other countries will follow soon. Don’t those soaps look very cute? 🙂
Today I wanted violets, so I am wearing Balenciaga Paris. It’s not quite the perfect intense violet scent I dream of, but it’s still good.
You smell beautiful! ????
I am in Paloma Picasso and I am no wallflower..
Crepe Day today!
https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/48638211. Hey, saw this and thought you might be interested.
I was interested myself, but frankly I’m broke:(. Also noting, my son did the link for me. I’m still clueless????
SOTM is Cire Trudon Revolution, a light campfire smoke with a hint of green, layered over Aftelier Ancient Resins which adds a hint of sweetness and makes it feel more winter forest-y. Loving it!
Oh, that sounds like a great combo!
Kind of late to the party. Spending the day in vintage Bal. I’m already looking at my short list of perfume to buy in March. Saks Fifth Avenue has Liu in stock along with L’Heure decide Nuit. Do I need a backup of L’Heure de Nuit? Nope but I want a backup. So Liu, L’heure de Nuit and Au Coeur du Desert are the three I want the most.
I should be planning my next purchase too…
I bought a backup of L’Heure de Nuit as well. Lovely stuff.
I started today in Iris Ukiyoe, which was perfect until I left the house to buy groceries. It’s much better in warm weather – a total flop in cold rain. So when I got home I switched to Lonesome Rider, which fits today perfectly.
I can imagine Lonesome Rider wrapping itself around you to keep out the rain.
I’m home today, with my car literally stuck in the snow, parked on the street. Good thing I wasn’t going anywhere. My sotd is Pomegranate Noir. Last weekend, my dear friend from across the state visited. She brought me this bottle. It had been gifted to her, and didn’t work. So this is the very first Jo Malone I’ve smelled (excluding magazine strips). I like it. The best part though, was seeing my friend, it had been way too long.
And every time you wear Pom Noir you will think of her 🙂
Yes! The best perfume association ☺
That was my first Jo Malone scent. Do you like it?
I do like it. It’s different than anything I have.
If you’re in the US, send me your shipping address, and I’ll share a couple of JM favorites with you to try.
That would be wonderful! How do I send you my address? I am in the U.S
Just click on my gravatar and go to About Me on my blog.
You smell wonderful! For a long time PN was my fav JM. However, last year it was dethroned by Orris Sandalwood.
I’ve only have smelled the new Redcurrant ones from magazines. Which both smelled good on paper to me. Last year I almost blind bought the poptastic bottle of Tuberose Angelica, but the reviews were so mixed, I didn’t risk it.
Yay, we had sunshine today!
It was cold though, perfect weather for Arso by Profumum Roma and for a 10 km walk along the banks of the Rhine river.
I’m not familiar with you perfume but Yay! for the walk 🙂
I love Arso – perfect winter scent!
Sotd is hwyl
Sitting at LAX
Going from ac on in car to snow
Maybe I need to get find some ice cream before boarding
Go ice cream! Hope the flight went well…
In Gucci Bloom. I got a splash mini at the beginning of the year from Sephora (it was one of those things you could redeem points for), but it’s the only perfume I keep at my partner’s house so I’m going through it faster than I expected. I do really like it – its charms have definitely not faded for me. And the tiny bottle is adorable.
I never saw the mini. I bet its incredibly cute! I go back and forth with bloom, sometimes I love it, sometimes it’s just like.
I’m in Huitieme Art Shermine today. I have been hoarding this sample for a year (or maybe 2!) and last night by chance found it on sale at Luckyscent, so now that a full bottle is coming I can enjoy the sample! Haha. It is a warm, sensual iris, very low on the rootiness scale, and more elegant than earthy. Somewhere between Iris Prima and VCA Bois d’Iris.
Shermine is very nice…just wish the bottle was nicer.
Drat! I was hoping that in person it was much nicer than it looks in photos.
Sotd: Superstitious ????
Commencing the Super Bowl feast prep ????
Go Eagles! Not a big NFL fan, but who doesn’t love a good underdog?!
You smell Glorious! I’m not an NFL person either, but I will jump on the Eagles bandwagon, so I can smell good with you ????
SOTD = Atelier Iris Rebelle
Semi-rooty iris, woody and musky, topped off by citrus. By itself, it smells nice. Mixed with someone else’s perfume, not so much. At church, the woman sitting behind me was wafting some kind of gooey caramelly chemical synthetic mess and not only was her perfume disgusting by itself, it invaded my space. I hope to never sit near her again although I unfortunately did not take a good look at her.
This gave me the best laugh!
I have not tried Iris Rebelle yet. I suspect it will be a travel-size blind buy. Silver Iris was such a miss for me that I have not tried anything else from this house. But Iris Rebelle sounds perfectly adequate and at that price, for a decent iris, it falls into the (as Robin says) “they’re practically paying you to buy it” category.
If I were to smell Silver Iris and Iris Rebelle side x side, I would never think they were from the same house!
How is the longevity for you? I wore the last of my sample today, 12 sprays (I kid you not) and within 90 minutes *poof*- gone! It’s disappointing because it is soooo lovely! If it had better staying power I would be getting a bottle. Do you know of any similar scents that last better?
Also, lol on your church story.
5 sprays = at least 7 hours and likely to go on for more but I took a shower. It’s a shame it does not last on you!
I will most likely get the smallest bottle though I want s 30 ml one (I mean, I do not need 30 ml but I really like the bottle in that size and the small one is enough perfume-wise but not as cute).
Wearing L’air du Desert Marocain and watching PUPPY BOWL!
MUch better than the actual football. 🙂