Happy Friday, and happy birthday Carole King! And, happy Broadened Horizons Friday. Our community project for today: wear a fragrance you initially thought was too [insert adjective] for you to wear. Thanks to Geordie for the suggestion!
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I ended up in Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, which I thought would be too much melon. (And some rare days, it still is. Today it's working for me.)
Reminder: on 2/16 we're celebrating the Lunar New Year...wear an auspicious fragrance to ring in the Year of the (Earth) Dog.
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 Cantaloupe: Problem Fruit by News21 - National at flickr; some rights reserved.
Mitsouko- I thought it was too complicated, strange and even harsh. That was many years ago and now I adore it (especially the parfum).
I could never understand Mitsouko after years of wearing it. Sadly, it became so overwhelming and irritating that I could not handle it anymore. However, I appreciate it greatly and like the way it smells on other people.
I find Mitsouko very interesting in an intellectual way – it’s so complex and I always find something new – but I’ve never quite enjoyed wearing it. It always feel far more stately than I actually am.
I finally “got” Mitsouko after coming across some vintage tester bottles of Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue at an estate sale. For some reason whatever batch this was had much less of the Guerlinade scent than others that I’d sniffed, so I am able to get their individual characters much more easily – and now I can pick it up under the Guerlinade when I smell other bottles, but I still prefer mine!
I definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to wear it. It seems to demand my attention during the wear!
Mitsouko was one of the first fragrances I loved. I only have the current versions, both the edt and the edp. I prefer the edt for some reason. I need to try the extrait.
I felt the same way about Mitsouko. My prior scents had been floral and fairly green. Huge departure for me. I still sometimes think it doesn’t quite fit me.
House cousins Robin – l”Eau d’Hiver body milk and EDP for me today
There were many years where I would have found this one much too dry to wear, but I revel in it now.
Reeves away, that is a wonderful change for the better I think
Hey cousin! You smell fantastic — the body milk must be lovely.
Robin, LPdT is perhaps my favorite scent of all. You smell incredible!! I know what you mean about melon, though; I’ve also got a thing for Michel R.’s Emotionnelle which needs to be approached carefully.
I am **trying** to broaden my horizons by wearing the d/c’ed Le Feu d’Issey. I can’t yet say I’m enjoying it but at least it’s not turning my stomach this time!
I had fun debating what to wear for today’s project, given how many scents that I originally felt “ugh” about! Others I considered were SL Jeux de Peau (same problem w/ milky/bready as LFdI) and the original Bandit. Perhaps I’ll break those out later too.
Emotionelle is way past my personal melon limit, LOL — Therese works for me 90% of the time.
And Feu! Lucky you, I really like that one and have not smelled it in years.
Feu d’Issey was my second scrubber! Preceded only by Shalimar.
Yeah, I’ve not managed Shalimar yet either – props to those who rock it!
I’m with both of you on Shalimar
I can not deal with Shalimar…
I had a really hard time with SL Jeux de Peau, and generally cannot deal with bready notes. JdP smelled to me like French toast doused in salt and pepper (the way a childhood friend used to eat it) served in a French bakery full of hipsters smoking cloves. I didn’t feel the need to get past my initial reaction
Love that description!
S&P on French toast?? Is that a thing?
I only recently learned about lemon on crepes. I have apparently lived a very sheltered breakfast existence.
Growing up we always had savoury French toast with salt and pepper… maybe it’s a UK/Scottish thing? I didn’t put maple syrup on it until my 20s… It’s particularly good that way especially if you sprinkle a bit of sea salt on it first!
I thought that the idea behind this project was to wear something about which you’ve already changed your mind and not to try to make you to do it today
I have TONS of those perfumes about which I thought “too [insert adjective] for me to wear” and still feel the same
I think you’re right! But I probably **never** would’ve busted out the Le Feu again if not for this exploration.
If I were to pick another one then it would probably be Amouage Beloved – originally thought it was too light and fleeting. Tried it again and it’s a keeper now!!
I think my morning was more interesting in my Feu though.
SOTD is Aftelier Bergamoss. Not this particular perfume, but chypres in general, were one fragrance category it took me a long time to warm to. I do think that chypres are an acquired taste. Ironically, just about the time I started learning to enjoy them, they began to disappear from the market.
On another note–yesterday’s post about Providence Perfume Company’s latest release got me thinking that perhaps a visit to the shop is in order, as I am planning to be in Providence for a few days this summer. Has anyone visited the shop, and what would you suggest? Do they have things in the shop that are not sold online? Their line is large enough that I cannot try everything out in person in one visit, so I am thinking about ordering their sample sets (I know, I have too many sample already!) so I can try them out ahead of time.
I have never been to the shop, but Moss Gown is one of my top 10 so do give it a try!
50_Roses, are you wearing the liquid or the solid?
The liquid.
Nice. I think she’s back in stock with the liquid now? For awhile she only had the solid available. What’s your take on it?
It didn’t really do anything for me today, but it was probably just me. I was fighting off a headache that has been assaulting me on and off since yesterday. I may have just not put on enough, as I was trying to be careful not to aggravate the headache. When I’ve worn it before, though, it struck me as sort of a “no-frills” chypre. Well worth a try if you like chypres, and the 9 ml bottle is not too pricey.
I’ve been to the PP shop within the last year.. Charna is lovely and her shop is delightful. She did have some perfumed teas and body products that I haven’t seen online. I enjoy her Amber Cream Body Oil but my favorites of her line are Rose Boheme and Cocoa Tuberose. I’m looking forward to trying her most recent scent soon.
I’m thinking I should just get the samples so I can test everything out, but I was wondering if that would make an in-person visit sort of unnecessary, as I could always order a bottle online. I think it would be fun to visit though, and if I did buy a bottle there in the shop, it would be a sort of keepsake of the trip.
If it’s not a difficult trip to manage, I think it is worthwhile. Her shop is so pretty and she puts out bottles of all her scents for testing. Plus, her samples are pricey although generously sized. I would guess 1.5 or 2 mls. Charna seems to enjoy interacting with customers, especially the perfumistas. The last time I went with a few friends, we had a great perfume discussion and she posted our pic. on her FB page. We had a lot of fun that day.
Parfums de Nicolai Vanille Tonka.
If, before my descent down the rabbit hole, you had asked me if I would like to smell like a rum-and-Coke made with Captain Morgan’s spiced rum and lime, I would have been baffled. Who wants to smell like that?
Turns out that I do, because I loved this thing from first sniff.
Ohhh – That sounds yummy
*updates to try list*
Me! I want to smell like that!
you smell wonderful..one of my favorite vanillas
I think I want to **drink that** — it’s been quite a week!
???????? That was my drink of choice in college! Going straight on to my must sniff list. ????
???? That is very funny Mals! I am still grinning.
Mine would have to be Shalimar – with the girls above I still can’t manage it. It is almost equal to Chanel No.5, atleast with the latter I can wear the body cream and smell perfect and feel comfortable. I haven’t tried Vanilla Tonka yet, and I am curious now, thanks!!
Good morning! I’m wearing Hermes Vetiver Tonka. When I first started wearing perfume on a regular basis I thought it might be too heavy or masculine, but now it’s a favorite. I find it both comfortable and classy at the same time. I found a big full bottle on eBay for $150, which I wouldn’t normally consider a bargain but in this case I was happy to get it. Happy Friday!
Definitely a bargain! You smell great ????????
You smell great! I would wear that one so much if I had a bottle. I am milking my 4 ml sample for all it’s worth.
That’s a bargain! I think those big bottles go for much more.
Love this scent!
Oooh, the ladies are correct, you found a good deal.
Wow!!! DEFINITELY a bargain. Luckily, I received a travel spray of that as a gift, or I would be a lot more envious than I currently am.
Yeah, it was just missing the pretty leather cap but who needs that with such a great scent!
You smell great, I like that one, and haven’t remembered to wear it enough this winter.
Very nice eBay purchase!
Not for the project, just testing.
Trying Odori Tabacco. A rare case when dry-down is better than top and heart notes. Yes, it’s a sweet tobacco, but for the first hour or two it was dirty, animalic tobacco, almost fecal. Then all dirty notes were gone, and it became just a nice honey tobacco. Not original but nice.
That is rare!
Armani Privé Bois d’Encens, and I always say I don’t really like incense, and yet I adore this one. Bought one year ago, and worn regularly.
An alternative would have been Une Fleur de Cassie, which I didn’t like at all on first sniff, but have since fallen in love with. There is a difference I think in what I first tried and what I ended up buying.
Une Fleur de Cassie is not an easy perfume, but I fell in love with it at the first try. It is really beautiful!
With the current or the first version? There is quite a notable difference.
The current. I never tried the first one.
I can how that one is swoon at first sniff. I had a disconnect at first expecting something very different to what I was smelling, once that was past I was hooked! It’s very, very beautiful and probably my favourite Malle.
And I had the opposite experience – loved the sample but recoiled after wearing it from a travel spray! I think my nightmare was your pleasant dream!
I got a travel spray from you from one of the freebiemeets and I loved it right away. It is among the top perfumes in my fb shopping list. The cumin does not bother my at all, but I can imagine your dislike considering that the cumin is strong.
Yes, UFdC would be another contender for me and broadening horizons! I only tried it once but I get some almond there which is not my fave. Thanks for the reminder, it is worth a revisit!
I loved Dyptique’s vetiver so I bought Sel de Vetiver from Different company, a company I had tried before and liked. It was so masculine at first! I do like vetiver on men so I wear it now anyway. It was a good deal which may have been the temptation for a blind buy.
Even though I love Sel de Vetiver, I still think it is too masculine for me. I need to be in the right mood for it. I wear it mostly in summer time.
You smell great! I love vetiver, and have always liked Sel de Vetiver. Never really thought of it as a straight-up masculine (doubt my spouse would wear it), but I love it in the summer.
SdV is great, and you smell fantastic!
Hey, nice melons! Makes me feel all summery!
SOTD SL Chergui because it’s not really summer (yay!).
My friday actually falls on a Friday this week, a rare occurrence. Then, 5 days off again. Trying to make some plans…!
“Nice melons” reminded me that a) I had forgotten to attribute the image and b) don’t go searching for melons on flickr unless you want to see lots of boobage!
Hahaha!
I can just imagine…????
I scared a cat by laughing rather loudly at this.
Jalapeño -> that was soooooo funny!!
Hm. Flickr you say?
Ha! Just snorted my coffee!
????
In ELDO Jasmin et Cigarette. At the beginning I thought it was too animalic and the tobacco note bothered me greatly. After so many tries, I fell in love with it and these days it is a big favorite!
Have a happy Friday everyone!
You smell great! I tend to only reach for it in warm weather. I never found it animalic though. It always seemed as tame to me as jasmine tea. Who knows what others around me are smelling when I wear it!
I do not get jasmine tea at all. Mostly tobacco and some jasmine. I am scared to wear it in warm weather, because I do not know how stronger the tobacco might be. It could be only my perception. As you said others might smell it completely different. I hope!
I wore that one earlier this week, and had a similar response with the animalics. I tried it because I expected it to be “too cigarett-ey and therefore inappropriate for work,” but I actually got no cigarettes at all but an amount of animalics that verged on uncomfortable.
I get lots of cigarettes and animalic for sure. Perhaps, warmer weather will make the jasmin more prominent. I will try it in spring and summer. I wear no more than 2 sprays for work. I really love this perfume.
For years, I hated Shalimar & thought it simply a strong baby powder. Did a 180 a few years ago (though I can only wear it in winter)–will apply before I go out to rake the roof & shovel. Eastcoasters, snow is probably headed your way.
I chose Shalimar too. I thought it was too strong and that I wasn’t old/mature enough to wear it. Now I love the way it just melts into my skin during the dry down. It’s so perfect for snowy weather!
Happy Friday everyone!!!
Great for cold weather! Shalimar is also very sexy, if you feel like wearing it for something other than shoveling
#truth
LOL
I kind of had the same impression the first time I tried Shalimar. My thought was fancy baby wipes. But then I bought a vintage bottle in an antique shop just because I thought it would be cool to have whether I liked the scent or not. And trying that version finally brought me around.
Snow…crud! I do enjoy Shalimar during the cold weather though.
Like most men I only shopped one side of the aisle, because any scent marketed to women is automatically “too female” for a man to wear. I gradually came to realize that I was limiting myself to maybe 10% of what was available, so I gingerly began sniffing, and occasionally buying, women’s scents, which were not only more varied but generally more interesting and better made. Stumbling across Parfum d’Hermes in 1986 or so was what broke open the floodgates. It’s an ignored masterpiece, an extraordinarily rich, plush floral oriental chypre: I went all in and bought the quarter ounce of perfume, used it up over the next few years, and then in 2010 found a half-ounce bottle online, which will last me the rest of my life. Horizons: permanently broadened.
That’s a great story! All too true that the perfume assistants will so often only “allow” you to buy on one side of the aisle. I haven’t heard of the one you love but now want to get some too!
It was discontinued, tweaked into Rouge Hermes, relaunched under its original name (alongside Rouge for some reason), and then discontinued again. The remake is relatively accurate if you can find it and Rouge is not bad, but if you want the full eighties experience you need to find the vintage, which can be had on eBay: not cheap but so very good.
I’m so glad that more and more scents are marketed as unisex….because I think that the vast majority of scents truly are! I always take a sniff at the men’s counter, because I loooooove “men’s” fragrances!
In the 80s, I bought for my dad Halston Z-14, and I think I wore that more than he did.
My hubby wore that????
Z-14 was one of favorite 80s scents on men. It never occurred to me that I could wear it too. Back then, there were so many great scents marketed to women that it hardly mattered.
Love the chypres that came out during the 80s! I wore one old love yesterday- vtg Diva. I never saw Hermes at any traditional dept stores in Texas in the 80s. Sounds glorious!
Somehow, I made it out of the 80s without a scent memory of Diva! I’ve been so tempted to blind-buy a current version of it, since it’s pretty cheap at discounters, but have no idea whether I should choose edt or edp. Have you smelled the current version in either strength, and can you give an opinion on it?
SOTD: No. 19, which I thought was too “sour” for me to wear. It is much more wearable for me on cooler days!
The good thing about No.19 is that it can be worn in any type of weather. So versatile!
Here here! And, with the right pressure on the sprayer, can be worn in any type of environment, too.
I average 5-6 sprays of the EDP.
Woo! You are much bolder than I, hajusuuri!
Smelling awesome today!
I prefer it in the cooler weather too. It smells more earthy to me during cold weather.
Not on theme today, as I’m trying to use up long-neglected samples before they completely evaporate.
SOTD is Caron’s French Cancan parfum, a really lovely floral. There aren’t any Caron boutiques left in the US, is that correct? Sad…
But happy Friday anyway!
Oooh, yes, I’ve been trying to do that, too. So many samples!
I think Caron is still at the Perfume House in Portland…
Thank you, AnnieA! I’m still kicking myself for not buying backups years ago of Parfum Sacre and Nocturnes when they were available at the discounters.
I had a few options planned for today (No 5 – too mainstream! 24 Faubourg – too floral! Erdenstern – too bitter!) but last night my vintage Lanvin coffret arrived and all other options vanished. SOTD is Scandal, which doesn’t smell at all scandalous to me! On me it’s a delicate floral with leathery undertones, like a more ladylike Jolie Madame. It’s heavenly and I am feeling very grateful for this hobby that allows me to be surrounded with beauty so much of my life.
Ooh, jealous of the Scandal! I’d like to smell that one someday.
I love Jolie Madame, but it’s half springy green floral and half combat boots, and I suspect it’s the combat boots (or maybe the juxtaposition) that makes it so attractive to me.
Happy FriYAY!
Wearing DSH Nourouz (aka Tamarind/Paprika) and absolutely LOVING it. Before I got really serious about perfume, I had no idea how to identify notes that really make my heart happy…..Now I take more risks and wear more treasures! This is soooooo good!
For the life of me, I can’t remember who on NST sent this to me, but I’m forever grateful!
Ooh, you smell wonderful! Nourouz is an often overlooked gem from Dawn’s line. It’s like no other fragrance I’ve ever smelled, and it’s great in colder weather.
Wearing Box of Eels extrait. Until a few years ago I would have been considered this to be too old lady-like for me but now I revel in it
I’m also a recent convert to BdI, which I always believed would be too ‘Chanel’ for my tastes. This became the first Chanel to win me over in its edt format (especially vintage). Alas, Chanel has destroyed it for me with the ruinous edp version that has now replaced the edt ????. Is your Extrait a recent version? I’m so curious to know if that was wrecked by reformulation as well, as it’s nearly impossible to sample if you’re nowhere near a Chanel boutique.
You’re scaring me with your talk of the ruinous EDP. I only have smallish decant of the EDT. Could the extrait be in my future? Should I start setting aside the funds?
I’ll butt in to say that I fell for the edt first, and now mostly wear the edp since it’s more readily available. I’d recommend giving it a wear before deciding on the much more expensive extrait (which I’ve never smelled and probably shouldn’t
)
I’ve always wanted to try Bois des Iles, but too intimidated to go to the chanel store in soho. Anywhere else in NYC that has it that people know of?
I’ve never tried Chanel perfumes at one of their boutiques, but my local Nordstrom carries the full line including the Exclusifs (Seattle.) I’ve been in on multiple occasions to get samples and have found their SAs to be very friendly and generous – much more so than at the other counters (Hermes was the worst.) Maybe the boutique will be a pleasant experience?
Thanks, I’ll look for a Nordstrom. I have a stand alone Hermes perfume store near me which I take full advantage of
The flagship Bloomingdales on 59th has them, and so does Saks!
And Bergdorf’s
SFA on 5th Ave carries the line but the friendliest SAs are at Bergdorf. Oh, and if you are ever in Boston, the CHANEL boutique on Newbury St. close to the Boston Public Garden has the best service and is one of a handful of boutiques allowed to have tester bottles of extrait (I think they are limited to 3).
I could not think of a perfume for this weeks theme.
I am wearing Black Orchid edp. Perfect in cold weather
Almost weekend, yay!
You smell so good!
TGIF!
I will be trying out the somewhat infamous Cologne of the Missions and Il Profumo Vanille Bourbon all made possible by yet another generous NSTer.
Vanilla Quest ’18 continues, friends…
I am preferring the Bourbon over the Missions. But the Missions is quite nice. A shame it was discontinued and now goes for at arm and a leg on the Bay of Evil.
Does it? My 5 ml ebay decant was really cheap – $7 or so?
If you find yourself wanting more of the Bourbon, I can link you to the ebay decanter I bought it from. Her prices are really reasonable (more like split prices than decant prices.)
I think the original prices were maybe $30 or 40 for 100 ml and a gargantuan bottle for around $80. Maybe someone will chime in who bought years ago.
Which of these two do you prefer? Also what did you think of Note Vanille please?
I paid $35 for a 100ml bottle at Walgreens like 4 years ago. I sold it last year for the same amount. I should’ve waited til it was harder to find.
I am really enjoying your Vanilla Quest ’18!
Yes, whether you’ve opted in or not you’re coming on the journey.
All aboard!
I’m wearing vintage Miss Dior, which I thought would be too vintage for me
I dunno, the vintage formulation is much less synthetic-feeling than the current offering. Thoughts so far?
It’s warm, naughty and yes, deliciously old-fashioned — like a wistful smile of a woman who’s had a fabulous life.
It is seriously old school! You smell perfect.
I’m in Heure Exquise, which I initially thought was too Annick Goutal for me (I have trouble with most AGs). And although I love HE, it is testing the limits of my powder tolerance this morning. So, horizons broadened!
I have to mention that it was still light when I left work yesterday — spring is coming! Woohoooo!
Heure Exquise is one of my favorite iris perfumes. I find the EdP more powdery than the EdT. Which one are you wearing?
My decant is of the EDT. The EDP is even more powdery? Wow.
Not a big difference, but it is. I can send you some to compare if you are interested.
That would be lovely, actually – thank you for offering! With luck you’ll have my address on a package in your mailbox any day now.
My pleasure!
Twins! I am loving HE today (and yesterday). We smell great.
We do!
Yay for longer days! ????????????
Yes! Especially in the PNW, right? I don’t know how people in Alaska cope, I really don’t.
Today I’m wearing a spray from a early 70s bottle of Chanel No. 5 edt. Until last year, I had spent 30 YEARS trying to appreciate and like No. 5 in any of its forms, because I found its strong aldehydes and floral notes screeching. I would retry occasionally, only to scrub it off after it gave me a near-instant headache. No. 5 made me avoid aldehydes in general, with very few and muted exceptions. I believed it would be a permanent no-fly zone for me.
Last year, a Fragrantica friend who knew of my lifelong aversion to No. 5 sent me a sample from her 60s EDC bottle, and I was transfixed by what I smelled. The florals were strong, the aldehydes deep, but all of those were tempered by rich, sexy, animalic notes. Wow ????. THIS was the famous No. 5 that became the legend. The lightbulb went on….and I wanted more. I found my bottle through a reputable Chanel specialist on eBay, and I’m so happy to have it. I still can’t wear any version from the 80s on, when the nitro musks disappeared and No. 5 swung far into aldehydic floral realms for my taste, but I break out this vintage beauty for special days, and today’s theme seemed perfect for it. It took 30 years, but I’m finally ‘in’ on the reason why No. 5 became so loved in the decades after its release.
Enjoy the weekend, all!
That’s a wonderful story!
Thanks! It was a lesson to me to always keep retrying beloved ‘classic’ scents when I don’t like them or get them initially, because eventually the light bulb may still turn on ????.
looking sideways at my mini of Shalimar over here. still no lightbulb
Too funny, as Shalimar (along with Mitsouko) remains in my perfume purgatory as well! We’ll just keep trying….
You smell sooooooo good!
The edc smells most like my childhood memories of no 5. I’m the opposite in loving the current versions and not being able to wear the vintages, but it was like a time machine sniffing that edc!
Same, but that’s probably because we’re the same age
I love all the vintage formulas but lately my nose massively amplifies animalic notes so I find them hard to wear (not just No 5, but all my vintage perfumes.) Maybe I need to start loving up some current formulas.
The currents are definitely cleaned up, but I think the modern edt smells closer to some vintage or other than the edp does.
Thank you for weighing in on the Missions price above…I knew it was quite cheap. Le sigh.
That’s interesting.. I’ve never liked No.5 much, but maybe I just need to find some vintage.
The edt is vastly different from the other variations. (Actually, I guess they’re all really different from one another.) It’s also the one Luca Turin associates with his childhood, and the one that smells the least No 5-ish to me. When I first tried it I thought it my sample was a counterfeit since it bore such little resemblance to the No 5 of my childhood, which was the cologne version.
Today I’m wearing Philosykos, which I initially thought would be too “figgy” to wear, since I dislike many of the fig fragrances that I’ve tried. Most seem very musty to me, and I can’t wear them. However, when I tried Philosykos for the first time I didn’t get the same reaction. This is more green to me, and although the fig is definitely there, the green notes make it fresher and not musty.
It’s definitely one of the best fig scents there is. I salute-sniff you!
tangentially related, I had a fig milkshake the other day and it was omg so good
That sounds incredible!
I love figs to eat and a fig milkshake sounds wonderful.
OH. I need that.
You smell womderful! For me it is the best fig scent!
Fig used to be a big love for me and Philosykos was my very first niche purchase. I sort of lost interest in it and the note after a while. I still have a couple of figs that I love (Debaser and L’AP Caligna) and I still think Philosykos smells great, and so do you!
You smell great! I love this one in the heat of the summer.
You smell great!
I tried to find a rose that would fit the Broadened Horizons theme, but decided that ALL roses will fit the bill, as I never liked the note at all until a year or so ago. Wearing my favorite rose (so far) La Fille de Berlin.
Rose is one that I’ve struggled with as well – too powdery, too rose-y, too much like bathroom spray. I think today will be Andy’s Rose oil and Phi.
Stay warm and keep smelling fabulous!
My area is having record-breaking heat, so no worries about that! I have a bit of Rose Flash – I’ll have to try the other Tauer roses as well.
I’ve never had any negative associations with rose perfumes and have always loved and worn them, even as a teenager. Welcome to the club! You have a whole new world to explore!
AG Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille. First try – too much patchouli! A note that I have struggled with in many a perfume. The more I sniff, the more patch perfumes I find that I actually enjoy.
Soon you’ll be sporting Luxe Patchouli and Borneo!
I have patchouli issues too, big ones, and have been surprised to like it in several things. Seems like I especially like it with rose (looking at *you*, L’Arte di Gucci and MFK Lumiere Noire pf).
But keep Borneo far far FAR away from me. I WILL get out the cross and garlic if I have to…
TGIF – Galop today. And you are right, Robin, the Galop bottle would really be expensive to “fake”, and my bottle/box all checks out to be the real deal. Leathers are tough for me. I use to have Kelly Caleche, even had compliments, but sold it, and I really like Cuir de Russie.
What is not to love in Cuir de Russie!
I’m only guessing at the story but I hate it when I think I’ve bought a fake! It’s happened twice now, once I didn’t even realize until it was way too late to do anything but it was definitely not real, and the other time I’m still not sure if it was fake or not. Got a fake handbag once and I was so proud of myself that I was able to detect it. The fakes are starting to get really good on the details.
Galop also would qualify as a boundary-broadening one for me. I do like it on paper but …
Oh man that’s the worst when something turns out to be a fake. Handbags yes are really a problem. I bought a bottle of Creed Fleurissimo that was presented as real. When I got it, I thought it smelled really “soapy” and chalked it off as either I didn’t remember it as I thought, or reformulated. I sent it to a friend, and I will always be grateful, she said it was a fake. So the Hermes I was worried, because it didn’t come with a leaflet or leather cord. But I do think it is real. Galop is interesting. Did you find it to be tart at all?
Wow – your ‘soapy’ experience is EXACTLY what happened for me. I had fallen HOH in love with the sample, then when I got the FB I just couldn’t find anything to enjoy about it. Worst part was, it was a screw top bottle, and the bottle itself seemed totally authentic. I tried to ask the seller about it in a non-confrontational way and that got me nowhere. I ended up dropping it because I had waited so long after receiving it to actually try it (a problem when buying so many at once which I still tend to do).
For Galop, mostly I get the soft leather which is fine but not a top fave. It lasted forever when I sprayed on paper once at an airport, my whole trip I kept finding it in my bags and enjoying it again. I do like ‘tart’ in fragrances so I’ll be sure to give Galop a go another time!
You smell divine! Is it just me, or does anyone else have a really hard time spraying that bottle? The shape + my hand = nearly impossible to hold and spray.
I had a love affair with leathers early in my rabbit holing, but have found I don’t love them so much any more. The exceptions are the Hermes leathers, which are a totally different interpretation of the accord. I love Galop, Kelly Caleche, Caleche, and Cuir d’Ange, and it has always struck me that if someone is a fan of Kelly Caleche, Galop will work for them, too.
Yes! I do have a hard time with the Galop bottle. I wish I had kept my bottle of Kelly Caleche. I have a vintage Caleche I need to take another smell.
I’m wearing SL Ambre Sultan, which at first, and for a long time after, I thought was too turpentine + bugspray to wear! Amber was the first perfume note I made a study of when I went down the rabbit hole–I bought samples of every one I could find and tried to compare them. This was always the one that the experts rated the most highly, but I just couldn’t stand it. I can still notice that turpentine note but somehow now I can tolerate it more, even though this is still not my favorite amber or even in the top three, I’ll grant that it’s interesting and wearable. I am glad that this CP has reminded me to bring it out and wear it again, especially since it seems fitting for our gray cool weather today.
What are some of your favorite ambers, Calypso?
Chanel no 5 EDP for me today.
1) I thought I hated aldehydes and it was too perfumey in my mind
2) it seem cliched and outdated
I tried the edt first and really liked it. It’s not as aldehydic, but then I retried the edp and I actually prefer it now. I still have a hard time with the vintage versions. Mostly too animalic (downright old urine smell on me).
I’m pooped today. I volunteer at a TNR outdoor cat colony here and an injured possum was found in the feeding shed yesterday morning. We spent a bunch of time trying to lure it into a carrier and it finally went in on its own late last night so a woman and I went down to get it and she housed in her basement overnight and is very generously bringing it to a wildlife rehab place this morning. Hope the little dude is going to be ok! Felt like some covert operation, lol. TGIF!
I love this story! What a lucky little possum. I hope he gets better soon.
Me too!
healing thought to the possum
He’ll appreciate it????
Best wishes to the injured party! They are tough and scrappy little animals.
The guy who brought it in to get checked sent photos. It has a severed foot, which is semi-recent, but the healing stump is injured/inflamed. So yes! Tough enough to survive the inital traumatic amputation!
I hope the possum recovers very fast. I love the volunteer work with animals.
I’m hoping they can help it!
Possums are funny. They’re like me in the morning before coffee.
Heeheehee! This one really had bed head, poor guy!
What a sweet story. As we say in the south, bless it’s heart, and bless YOUR heart for caring for the little critters, feline and marsupial alike.
Coming around to No.5 is a milestone (says someone who loves & is fascinated by classics – I suppose a lot of people could care less) – congrats!
It was quite the group effort. Lots if critter lovers out there.
What actually prompyed me to retry no 5 was the acquisition of a VC&A First mini and was surprised to like that one with all the no 5 comparisons.
Yay for No 5! I bought my first sample of it a few years ago for research purposes and never thought it would be something I’d want to wear (for the same reasons, plus wearing Chanel anything seemed like anathema.) It’s my 2nd most-worn perfume, after Shalimar.
I have always hated critters, especially the vermin-associated ones like opossums. I’ve recently come around to having some appreciation for the one who lives next door under our neighbor’s porch. (I’m sure there that in reality there are a dozen or more around here, but I like to pretend that I have run-ins with the same one.) He’s actually pretty cute and funny and I can see why they are frequently characters in children’s books. Half-blind and lumbering, slow to react, and none too smart – I’ll take my vermin in that format (but banish racoons and rats!)
It still kind of shocks me that I wear no 5 and it’s totally not “me” in a lot of ways. But it just smells so darned good to me. And I oddly consider it an “easy” one now. I hope I don’t get tired of it like I do with most things.
So far, so good though.
I have a 30 something yo niece who never liked animals, any really, since she was a kid. She has kids and not sure she’d even take them to the zoo!
I like ’em. Bugs are another story…
Profumum Roma’s Fiori d’Ambra/ Ambra Aurea. Like Calypso above, I too started exploring amber in the early stages of my perfume hobby. I thought amber would be a natural evolution of my love of vanilla, but absolutely hated both of these, and most all ambers in general.
Finally tried it again the other week, and don’t know if my nose is a little better, or the weather more appropriate, but they are both wonderful. Very soft and sweet, almost like brown sugar. The initial moth ball note I associated with Fiori is almost gone as well.
Interesting. I don’t know either of those. “Moth ball note” might be another description of the property of Ambre Sultan that puts me off (which I called “turpentine”).
I think Ambra Aurea came up on a deep dive over at Kafka’s site, and then I included Fiori in the sample mix since it claimed to have florals (what they call opium). Fiori gave me an instant flashback of my grandmother’s basement and the mothballs scattered in the corners, heh.
I’d recommend trying them both. They are a bit of a powerhouse, so a little goes a long way, but I am enjoying them more and more and find them comforting in a cozy way.
Indolic jasmine smells like mothballs to me.
I’m in Volutes today. I wore Eau Duelle yesterday, and wearing Volutes today, I was reminded of the conversation here earlier this week in which several posters were discussing the challenges of Shalimar.
It occurred to me today that Eau Duelle and then Volutes would be great gateway fragrances for those struggling to enjoy/appreciate Shalimar.
Also, Robin, you smell great and I am honeydew with envy. The atomizer on my travel spray of lPdT has pooped out and it. will. not. pump. I revisit in in vain every couple months thinking maybe it has spontaneously self-fixed but I think it’s a dead soldier.
Oh, that is annoying!! I would take it in to a FM counter if you have one near.
I have them both and wore them a great deal at first and maybe over did them. I have a shalimar flanker too. Not over done on that one yet but I only use it maybe once a month.
Do you like the edt or edp eau duelle? I find them so different, I was never too tempted by the edt but luckily sampled the edp anyway and LOVE it. So do other people who smell it. You must smell great in volutes too, in general I feel you almost can’t go too wrong with a diptyque fragrance.
The first time I smelled Dzongkha I recoiled in distaste. It did not even register as a perfume smell in my brain. But after multiple tries, it clicked and I discovered I loved incense. Now it’s one of my most loved scents.
Putting this back on the to try list. I had the same reaction and didn’t try it on skin.
Wonderful.
Today I’m wearing Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli – one of my very first FB purchases. My first experience with Grand Neroli was a dabber sample, so at first I thought it was too fleeting. When sprayed it actually has quite good lasting power for a neroli frag.
Stay safe out there Chicagoans and Michiganders! Looks like you’re in for a boatload of snow today.
Have you tried AG Neroli in the cylindrical bottle? It’s my fav neroli, thus far. A bit sweeter than Grand Neroli. I can send you a sample if you’d like- laugsb at sbcglobal dot net
I haven’t tried any AGs yet, so I’m very interested in trying Neroli. Thanks!!
I’m going with Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose today. In general, I like rose, but usually the kind of weird ones…fruity roses usually don’t fit the bill and boozy ones only sometimes. When I was first starting out on the perfume journey, I made a beeline for Lipstick Rose at the local department store counter after work, and spent the bus ride home hating it. Too grandmotherly, for sure, I thought.
Then, years later, I got a bonus large sample of it in with a split of En Passant, and decided to give it another shot, and whaddyaknow, I liked it a great deal. I’m guessing it’s that I’m better able to pull apart the rose and the violet, both notes I like, rather than just smelling the grandmotherly lipstick whole.
That’s a fun one! It always smelled playful to me. I love rose perfumes but am exceedingly picky. I still don’t like the sweet jammy ones.
Wearing Le Labo Rose 31, which I live but was always afraid was too cumin-y to wear in polite company. But, I love it. My husband calls it Dirty Rose, but he means it in a good way. ????
Love your hubby’s comment
“Dirty Rose” sounds kind of intriguing!
Wasn’t awake enough to think of something this morning so instead I’m broadening my horizons by sampling a scent with a place name. Wearing Marfa Spices which is nice but not quite me
Hope you are alert by now, thegoddessrena!
Is that one really spicy? I did not like “plain” Marfa all that much, IIRC.
I feel a bit guilty about this, but I couldn’t think of any scent that I have changed my mind about – for the better. I could think of lots that I used to like but no longer like. Yikes! what does that say about me? Anyway, I took the day off today because the library still has no heat. Yesterday my principal went out and bought a space heater and plugged it in at my desk while I was on lunch. When I came back he had blown a circuit and none of the computers, including the circulation computer, would work and neither would the printer. I’m going to sit by the fire and read, go out for lunch with my husband who will be going back to work next week after 6 weeks off for hernia surgery, and do some baking. My SOTD is Confessions of a Garden Gnome because of the review the other day. I’m think I’m going to really love this in the summer.
Ah, yes–no longer liking, that has happened to me quite often as well. It’s an interesting journey, isn’t it?! Stay warm!
Wow, I’m glad you’re taking the day off! Stay warm and enjoy yourself.
Day off and baking sound great. Nice of your principal to try but no point in going in if things do not work.
Good to hear that you are not back in the deep freeze today at work. Too bad the space heater was a total fail.
What to choose, what to choose. SO many that I did not like at first or thought I wouldn’t. I think I’ll go with Bulgari Black. It’s become a go-to cool weather comfort fragrance for me, but initially I thought it was all weird bandaids/rubber/vanilla.
Another is Tom Ford Noir de Noir, my only TF fragrance. After blithely spritzing on Angel many years ago and almost dying, I was afraid of patch for quite a while. It is still often a note that bothers me, but not in Noir de Noir which I find rich and dark and beautifully blended.
Noir de Noir is just wonderful.
I agree! It’s divine.
Broaden ones horizons: Paloma Picasso Mon Parfum
Very masculine to my nose and not a wallflower
SipOTD French Breakfast
Feeling rested today and looking forward to the Olympics starting. I will be cheering for USA and Canada.
That one is *really* not a wallflower
heh, I agree, melon can overwhelm. I can’t do the melon-y one from Parfums DelRae, but I like it very much when I get a whiff of watermelon from my sample of Muguet Porcelaine. And speaking of Hermessences . . .
SotD = Ambre Narguile
Before Ambre Narguile I avoided perfume with amber in the name. Amber perfumes have a richness that can be delicious, but sometimes I find something about them that is just too much, an unctuous and “indigestible” feeling.
But my eyes have been opened, my nose has been schooled. Ambers are worth the hunt. Once an excellent amber dry down gets going, it’s aaallllll goooooood. What’s your favorite?
NST, I hope your Friday smells excellent.
I’ll reply since I also wrote about trying ambers today. My most favourite is now one you can’t find, MPG Ambre Precieux. However, my recent discovered favorite, Maison Francis Kurdjian’s Grand Soir is shooting to the top of the list!
hi Calypso, thanks for the amber tips! I love the amber dry down of Grand Soir, it makes me swoon a little bit.
I really like L’artisan L’ambre Extreme. It’s a nice vanilla and spice amber so it’s rich and warm .
oooooh, that sounds perfectly yummy.
And L’ambre Extreme is a bargain online . . .
oh, what to do, what to do?
Favorite: Nobile 1942 Ambra Nobile. It is divine.
I probably could have picked an amber for today’s project, as I spent quite a few days in scented hell testing ambers I was utterly miserable in and had over-applied (this was before I figured out testing should be done in minute doses.)
Thanks for that amber suggestion. And yes! too much = scented misery. That was exactly my problem.
I was sampling Grand Soir with teeny tiny dabs when it finally clicked that ambers can be gorgeous.
I’m in and out with ambers and have to be in the mood as they can overwhelm me too.
Preperfumista days, I quickly sniffed and bought L’Occitane Amber, which is in the medicinal side, and it became one if those “indigestible” ones you mentioned.
I do really like Farmacia SS Annunziata Ambra Nera but don’t own it, Histoires de Parfum Ambre 114(brighter and a bit powdery), SL Ambre Sultan, SSS Winter Woods. Now if I’d only wear them…
Thank you for the wonderful amber suggestions!
Lol’d because florals are my default and I sometimes “force” myself to reach for a heavier amber sample vial.
I have two favorites for ambers: Pacifica Spanish Amber and AG Ambre Fetiche. The Pacifica is probably number one. I really hope that it doesn’t get discontinued.
What is it with Pacifica? They’re always discontinuing the good ones! I am going to Sprouts market this weekend where they have Pacifica tester bottles. I will look for Spanish Amber. Thanks for the tips!
I chose Iris Silver Mist because when I first tried it many years ago I found it too cold, austere, and rooty for my liking. In fact, I didn’t really seek out iris fragrances because of it. Now I’m wearing a whole month of iris perfumes! I actually just now used up the sample I’ve had for years, and I find it a lot more quiet than I remember. It is also warmer rather than cold. It’s so interesting to revisit one I haven’t tried on in years given how many more perfumes I’ve tried since then and how much my nose and tastes have progressed.
I am in Bas de Soie, also because of iris I’d always associated it with fancy handcream or soap, and not really something I’d actually pay to wear all day. From being Meh about iris, I now also have Infusion d’Iris Absolue and L’Heure Exquise. Not quite a month’s worth, but a change!
3 hours later and ISM is gone already. I certainly appreciate it more than I used to, but I won’t seek out any more.
That’s been my experience with all of the Lutens lighter fare that I’ve tried. Very fleeting.
Well this gives me hope (see my comments about ISM below in my comment haha)! I love iris now after thinking I didn’t, but haven’t come around to ISM yet!
Yeah, I think it’s grown from dislike to “just fine but fleeting.”
Like pyramus, I used to shop only from one side of the aisle. Then I ordered a number of amber samples, MPG’s Ambre Precieux among them. I was surprised to find out that it was a “masculine” scent. Since then, I’ve realized that perfumes are marketed to men or to women, but that there’s no need to restrict ourselves to someone’s marketing plan!
Ambre Precieux is a beautiful amber, to be worn by anyone who likes it – and that would be me today.
Oh, I’m envious! Just wrote above that it’s my favorite but it’s gone everywhere!
Psst: Luckyscent
Really? I’m going there now to look (online)!
Ooh, you’re right! Maybe it was gone for awhile when they were changing over the bottles.
It’s $190–Ouch!
I know. It’s even more expensive on the MPG site.
I got mine on eBay a few years back. It came in a red bottle.
Twins!
I think it was here that someone said, “If I don’t need a penis to apply it, I don’t need a penis to wear it”. And vice versa, I guess.
LOLOL! That is awesome.
Hahaha!
Genius!
Most excellent!
I went with Narciso (the white cube). When I first smelled it, it was too musky/indolic… but in an unsettling, old mothball-ish kind of way. Now, I find it sweet, feminine and pretty, and I even own a bottle!
I still find it a bit unsettling, but I think that might be part of the draw…
You smell beautiful!
Yes, definitely part of the draw for me!
I think it is a bit unsettling too, but I still enjoy it quite a bit, almost more when I don’t think about it too much. When I sniff critically, I like it less. But when I accidentally catch a whiff of myself wearing it, I love it. Go figure.
Wearing Hermes Un Jardin Mediterrane (this looks like I spelled it wrong). The notes sound like I should love it. It seems like most reviewers love it. I thought today I might find a new facet to the scent that would make me “get it”.
But every time I try it, all I get is the all purpose cleaner from Trader Joe’s (the green one with the cedar scent). And I really don’t like that cleaner’s smell.
The odd thing is, I can’t smell this at all when I sniff my wrists, but the sillage is driving me a little nuts, probably because I oversprayed….
Here’s to learning experiences!
I hate when cleaning products ruin perfumes for me. Even the cleaning products whose smell I like, like Murphy’s Oil Soap, Pledge etc. Particularly bad when you don’t like the cleaning product. Hope it fades soon or you can shower it away!
I never have this problem. And I spend very little time using cleaning products. So clearly the solution is to clean less
Ha! Great idea! I actually have cut way back on commercial cleaning products since one of my cats seems to get skin allergies from many of them. I mostly steam clean now.
Hm, methinks I need to try this TJ’s cleaning product…
It’s called cedar wood and sage all purpose cleaner and is (or used to be) part of their regular lineup. I scrubbed/it wore off and I put on Jour d’Hermes edp – which I hadn’t used in months. Where did the love go? I’m not feeling that one, either.
Happy Friday! Today, I am wearing something that I thought I would hate: Cedrat Enivrant! I tried a cedrat scent from l’Occitane a while back and hated it, and therefore thought I’d hate CE, but then I accidentally tried and loved it! It’s an odd pick for February, except today’s high will be 75 degF and I’m wearing a blouse meant for early summer. I gave myself four sprays, but really I only stopped because the boyfriend was looking at me funny. I smell SO GOOD.
You do smell good! And I am praying for 75F days again!
Hehehe. Next time you should wink at him as you apply one more spritz.
Haha!
That is almost literally what I did as I applied spray #4! After #3, he said, “Wow, that’s a lot of perfume…” so I batted my lashes and smiled in what I hope was a lascivious way but what was probably just silly, and then squeezed out spray #4. He just sighed at that.
Ahhh, you smell great! I just checked Sephora, and they are only carrying this now in the bigga momma bottle. Grrrrr….
I emptied a travel spray of this, and would not mind having a bit more. Onto the list it goes.
Well, you know, the splitmeet is coming up in just over a week! No better time to get a honking bit bottle, really.
I’m a bit tempted, but that’s a 200ml bottle! I’ve never hosted a split before, so I’m a little leery.
Check your e-mail–I may have enabled a bit?
But you shouldn’t be concerned about splitting! It’s not scary, really, and I think the AC bottles unscrew, so it would actually be pretty easy to split
I did my first split last summer, and yeah, it was pretty intimidating! But it all worked out.
As Koyel said, it is easy to split. The cap unscrews.
Big*
One of my favorites – best in hot humid weather but also works well when it is slightly coolish and your body warms it up to diffuse. I worse this my first evening in Barcelona (the most recent trip there) when I met up with Gabriela and I got compliments!
I’m wearing something that I was reluctant to try for a long time because it was too expensive – Xerjoff XJ Irisss. I waffled for a long time about ordering a sample because “What if I love it? That’s the whole perfume budget for a long time!” But I eventually ordered a luckyscent sample, and didn’t get around to trying it until today. (Yes, too many samples.)
And I hate it.
I really like the opening few minutes – the dry, rooty, almost turnipy aspect is amazing. But then this note develops which smells to me exactly like BME cell culture media, which is extremely stinky. If I want to smell like I’d dumped a flask of bacteria on myself, I can do that for a lot less money.
Wow, that sounds awful; sorry it turned into such a scrubber.
Thanks for your input as I’ve thought about getting back sample. Money saved.
Would you like the remains of my sample? I really don’t need it, for obvious reasons! Shoot me an e-mail at payne underscore cm at yahoo if you’re interested.
Hi Sistine, I’ve sent you an email.
I need to comment BECAUSE I 1) was trained as a biochemist so I KNOW that smell by HEART and 2) Had the same experience.
WOW!
No way!!!! The BME accord is real? I can’t believe someone else recognized it.
Yeah, once you smell BME there’s no forgetting it. Or after working with it, because the scent clings so stubbornly to your clothes and hair. Yuck yuck yuck!
I mentioned in a comment to Undina on yesterday’s SOTD thread that I have Irisss slated for a retry for later in the month but you just made me realize I should’ve done it today!!! Now I’m a little nervous…
Maybe it will work better on you? Fingers crossed!
I’m doused in Burning Barbershop by DS & Durga, which for me is equal parts every cologne my dad wore when I was growing up — namely Stetson, Old Spice, and English Leather — combined with my mom’s Jean Nate after bath powder, ironically all of which I would wear when doing bathroom cosmetics drag before puberty became a thing. Burning Barbershop is, accordingly, much more femme than I would have been led to believe by others’ descriptions.
Great story!
Thank you! But I have to admit it was a scrubber for me. Ugh, was just too … no.
“bathroom cosmetics drag”. Excellent.
It’s true! Silent-lip synched to Madonna or NKOTB in the mirror with the shower running. Zero regrets.
Ha! That’s adorable.
Ce Soir ou Jamais. It took me a long time to appreciate rose, and now I love it. This one is particularly lovely. It may just help me find back my perfume mojo…Hope everyone I haven not ‘seen’ here for quite a while is well!
I used to think of rose as old fashioned but I love it now!
Happy Friday!
1) SOTD: Back in Black, which at first I thought was too much of a ‘guy’ scent, too much sexy baby powder. But I really love it, and I love having this sample as a skin scent. STILL can’t pull the trigger on a full bottle. I am bougie gosh darn enough with Lubin, darn it!
2) Y’all need to see Phantom Thread. A bit overscored but man what an intimate potrait of a spoiled brat – with a TWIST DUN DUN DUN.
I hope to see it this weekend. I wonder what DDL will do post-acting. Maybe perfume?
He’s an odd and fascinating duck. Like he did an apprenticeship as a cobbler in Italy for a while!
Ha! I was hoping he would take up knitting so maybe he will!
He just might take up sewing or tailoring based on rumor (after the character in Phantom Thread) but we shall see. He is of an age to truly retire (and many British/Irish actors do seem to take retirement SERIOUSLY) but dunno!
Not on topic here, but I was just browsing around on FragranceNet, and they were offering a really good coupon (37% off), so I was able to get a bottle of Amouage Jubilation XXV for only $156 plus change, to replace my husband’s nearly empty bottle. Not a bad price for an Amouage, and Jub XXV is a good one!
I love FragranceNet for Amouage! They have better prices than Beauty Encounter for Amouage. Your husband smells fabulous.
Woohoo! Excellent shopping!
I thought I wouldn’t like incense until I tried Jub XXV. Wrong.
(Also, Jub 25 was a disASter on me, so I was leery of the men’s version. Needn’t have been.)
Nice!
Oh, I forgot to mention–that was the 100 ml bottle, not the 50! , so it really is a bargain! My husband is not a a perfume hoarder like me. He doesn’t buy for himself, he wears what I buy for him. He likes to have 5 to 7 different ones at any given time, he wears fragrance every day, and he rotates through them in a fixed order. As a result, he uses up everything I buy him, so I always prefer to get him larger bottles, as it will get used.
If you switch the position of 2 of the perfumes, will he notice?
I haven’t tried it, but he probably would. He’s funny that way about some things. If we go to a restaurant regularly (or plan to), he will go down through the menu in order, selecting each entree in turn until he has tried everything. Recently, one of our local favorites went out of business, and his complaint was that he was only halfway through the menu.
Currently scentless but thinking of wearing of putting on some vintage Miss Dior because I didn’t get it at first.
I don’t know if shop assistants say this in US stores but just about anytime you buy something like a pair of dark jeans, or a pair of sandals, or a grey jacket you get told “You can dress it up or dress it down”… Which is meant to make those of us with a protestant work ethic feel good about spending money on clothes. So, Gabrielle…the perfume. I thought this would be too safe for my taste. Too ‘nice’ , too ‘ smart casual’ , too ‘agreeable’, the equivalent of the best dressed woman at a five year okd’s birthday party. But it’s been really handy in the way that most JMs are. Really pleasant on days that are too hot to be bothered with perfume. It’s a perfect spray and walk away scent, and I will always associate it with the glamour of fracture clinics and the sight of my husband’s bare arse poking through his hospital gown and catheter bags. Perfect.
I love this comment.
(Your poor husband!)
Bless both of your hearts, you two have really been through it!
Gabrielle is awesome! Your post is awesome(mer!)
Chanel should use this for their ad copy! Most excellent.
???? Too funny!
I was a huge fan of honey accord in theory. Then I tried Bois de Miel – and that was such a nightmare on me, I could not wait to rid myself of the bottle. And then I tried Slowdive. SOTD – Slowdive – a honey bomb that I thought I could not wear, but absolutely adore.
HA! Seconded 100%. Miel de Bois had me scared of honey for a very long time (and I also hated Back to Black). However, since it has gotten unanimous praise from sources I trust, I ordered a sample and it arrived last night. I may break it out tonight (leery but curious!). Glad to hear you like it!
Slowdive is amazing. Could not be further from Serge Luten’s nightmare. What other honeys have you tried?
Not many. After two no-go’s with Miel & Black, I don’t think I’ve tried ANY other honey-centric scents. I’m sampling Slowdive tonight and unfortunately it’s not working for me, either. My SOTD Volutes has honey as a note, but honey is not one of the main notes. Lesson learned: I can take in small doses in perfume, and in large doses on biscuits.
Trying Ineke Idylwild for the first time, which sounded “too masculine” for me. I like it though. So piney! Not sure how often I will wear it, but fills a niche not currently in my repertoire.
Well that sounds like something I would love. Reading about it on here has definitely created a lemming. Gotta get me a sample!
Sticking to my house project which has now moved onto Guerlain.
Angelique Noir.
If I had remembered the community project this morning I might have picked L’heure Bleue. I still find it odd, but in a quite enjoyable way.
I wore AN to a friends dinner party over the weekend and got lots of compliments from the host who said I smelled like a very nice vanilla..
Though I was really flattered, I kept thinking to myself there has to be a cheaper version to smell like vanilla
Yes, but AN is such an amazing vanilla with a twist – that slightly bitter herbal green at the beginning. I love it.
Well I couldn’t get enough of Heure Exquise yesterday so I have it on my left arm and No. 19 edp on my right for comparison. I love them both SO much. I year ago I would have thought both were too “iris”, a note which took me a while to appreciate. I now wants ALL the iris perfumes (except ISM, sacrilege I know).
There’s still so many I want to try- Hiris, Bois d’Iris (TDC- I have the VCA), Iris Nobile, Iris Poudre, etc. I have ElisaP to thank for my love of iris and finally “getting” it!
Welcome to the iris fan club. ????
It does always feel like sacrilege to admit you don’t like ISM. I am by all accounts an iris fiend too, and I have gone through a couple decants trying to come around to ISM, but it’s just not my cup of iris tea, either. No doubt I’ll give it another go some day (it feels kind of like a Mission at this point), but for now there are so many other irises to be enjoyed that I *think* I’ve come to terms with it. For now.
I feel exactly the same way about ISM!
Heure Exquise is still my most loved perfume after all these years.
Glad to be of service ???? ISM is in the “I like to smell it, but don’t necessarily want to smell like it” category for me.
I have a de any of ISM that is languishing and probably evaporating from lack of wear.
I absolutely hated ISM. It was the worst scrubber I ever tried, absolutely stomach turning. I was scared of anything “iris” for a while after that.
FM Le Parfum de Therese is a great choice for today. Not only is it melon, which is always a little scary, but it’s also so profoundly womanly that I feel like I would need to be Monica Bellucci to carry it off properly. Or perhaps improperly.
Completely out of step in the age of Aqua Universalis and waif models.
Yes — profoundly womanly is a very good way to put it. I’m pretty sure I do NOT pull it off. But it sure smells good.
The first time I tried Chergui, I really didn’t like it. However, I took advice from NSTRs and tried it again during winter. It was probably my most worn scent this season and I even bought a BUB. Happy weekend all!
Chergui is wonderful IMO. You smell great!
Chergui is SO GOOD!! ????
That’s a serious turnaround! You smell delicious
Twins!
You smell wonderful!
I am in Parfum d’Empire Le Cri de la Lumiere today.
Oh my, I happened into a sample of that by accident recently and became enchanted. I just may indulge in it again later today. What are your thoughts?
Lucas did a full review on his excellent blog:
https://chemistinthebottle.wordpress.com/2017/10/27/parfum-dempire-le-cri-de-la-lumiere/
Thank you!! Now I see he has many thoughts on this!! I’m glad I asked – I’m going to spend more time with that review when I can.
You smell wonderful, Lucas!
I like your review of this scent. I feel like the rose is more noticeable on my skin, but perhaps that it’s just that rose is a more easily identifiable note that iris or ambrette.
I have so many things that fit this theme! As I’ve said before, I’ll try anything once, so I’ve been happily surprised on many occasions (and of course, sometimes not so happily surprised). I’m a convert to incense fragrances. More recently, I’e not been a fan of too much vanilla, but a year ago fell in love with Tobacco Vanille, and recently slurged on Fate. It’s very vanilla to my nose, but not too sweet.
Twins with Aparatchik today in Ambre Precieux but for a different reason–I don’t really care for amber as a single note (blended in with a lot of other stuff is okay) and AP has my perfume note nemesis, lavender. However, I love Amber Precieux. I think the lavender lightens the amber so it doesn’t smell too thick, and the amber muffles the medicinal aspects of lavender that I dislike.
AP is one of my favorite sweet ambers. I particularly enjoy it as a sleep scent. It’s so cozy.
Fairly ridiculous snow today in Detroit, and the University has given us a snow day. So I’m doing a aggressive amount of not-work on my couch today. SOTD Deneuve, which I assumed would be too green for me, on the basis that any amount of greenness is too green for me. And it is a little poisonous, a hint of the dagger about it. But there’s something to it…a faint powderiness and a warmth that shows up in the drydown that I find compelling – though not, perhaps, enough to make me spring for a bottle.
“an aggressive amount of not-work” is my goal for tomorrow.
Vtg Addict. Was not a fan when it was released. All these years later, I love it with a passion. ????
We are getting absolutely hammered by this storm! Close to a foot of snow so far, and it’s going to snow for another 6+ hrs. ????????
Laura, have been thinking of you with all this snow. It’s crazy here too, but you are getting it much worse. Stay safe!☺
Take care and stay warm!
It sounds like you are getting walloped by Old Man Winter. Stay safe!
Yeah I was googling vintage Addict a few weeks ago b/c of your posts then I got sidetracked. I wasn’t interested when it came out either but I found a Fragrantica or Basenotes thread where someone went to great lengths to explain the bottle variations.
Hopefully the snow has subsided…stay safe, warm and fragrant.
I went with Lolita Lempicka because it took trying it three times to finally come around. The first time it was just a big honking violet to me, and at the time I thought I hated violet (still don’t like the leaf, but the flower is fine). The second time I was okay with the violet bit, but still thought it was too sweet. And then apparently the third time was the charm. Some days it is still a bit over the top sweet for me, but nothing is a winner every day, right?
I think I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum with LL. I loved it at first but have come to find it somewhat unpleasant. That burnt sugar note can be too much for me. It’s the violet that hooked me initially, though, which I love in all forms.
On a similar note, Angel would have been another contender for me today. My progression was similar to yours with LL.
I chose vintage Bal a Versailles, the EdC concentration. Several months ago, there were some comments about this one, along with the written word version of raised eyebrows and secretive smiles. Before jumping down the rabbit hole, I would never have considered anything this potentially adventurous. I found a partial bottle on ebay for about 19 bucks, so I took a chance, and I’ve been enjoying its musky, civety wonderfulness ever since!
Busy Friday before a 3-day weekend/mini-vacation.
I wear Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue: when I tried it for the first couple of times, I thought that it was too close to the original perfume – so I didn’t think I needed both of them. Today I finished my small decant, and I think that I want either another decant or a small bottle of it: it is different enough to fit into my wardrobe.
I’m wearing Bois des Iles edt. I bought a decant of it a few years ago and it was love at first sniff. Then the next time I tried it I HATED it and couldn’t figure out why my initial response had been positive.
Before I got to the hate phase, I bought 20 ml and happily swapped half of it away (*cries*). But I kept trying what I had left every few months to see if my response was the same. It was for another year or two, and then suddenly the stars aligned, and it was back to true love.
Thank yous on 2 counts:
1) to all of the BdI fans here who kept hope alive
and
2) to all of you lovely ladies who’ve so kindly sent me decants from your own bottles!
I have so little of the edt that I generally wear the edp instead. But it’s not quite the same. The edp is lovely and gorgeous but the edt makes me downright rapturous. *sigh*
Today is Vanille 44. I thought it would be too vanilla, since I don’t much care for that note, especially when sweet. But it’s perfect. True love.
Thanks, hajusuuri, I think you were my enabler for this one.
Hajusuuri got quite a few of us on to Vanille 44. Le Labo must give her a discount
I wish…although since I got my bottle at Barneys, I think I get a 15% discount when I get my bottle refilled.
I remember that evening at Barneys pretty well ????
SOTD = Jimmy Choo EdP, the original one. The first time I tried this, I thought it was “too over the top for me”. The testing notes I have show a complicated back and forth over whether I even like it. Sometimes the stars align, like today, and it smells pretty darn good. Other times, it’s a hot mess. My little spray sample will be all I ever need of this perfumed roller coaster.
I always liked the original, and wore it a lot until this past year. The shower gel and body lotion are actually really well done, I still use the lotion.
I wore Jimmy Choo before I fell down the rabbit hole. My perfumista pal was wearing it one day when we were together and she smelled really good. I still have half a bottle floating around somewhere.
SOTD = Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris
I participated in the project yesterday with Dior Homme EDT (I did not think I could cross the perfume gender aisle).
This is the only Ramon Monegal I felt compelled to own and what a one! It’s a rooty yet effervescent iris! And the raspberry is the cherry, errr, raspberry on top ????????????
The flu is so virulent this year that I asked my mom to stop going to PT and reschedule all doctors and dentist appointments until mid-March. For once, she agreed with me.
I was supposed to get my hair cut today but my hairdresser did not want to stay late so I changed it to tomorrow. I stopped by Marshall’s on the way home and chanced upon a Demeter Foolproof Blending Sampler Pack containing Myrrh, Salt Air, Jasmine, Sunshine, Clean Skin, Pure Soap, Baby Powder, Lavender, each one in a 5 mL atomizer. It looks like a fun set to bring on vacation (still TBD where…I usually have something booked by now but I’ve decided not to do a cruise this year and am trying to decide between Iceland and Moscow/St. Petersburg.. leaning towards the latter). I also found a bottle of something a perfumista friend mentioned and will be sending it to her as a surprise ????
Commuting Woes No. 408 (I think):
– Guy standing next to me was eating for half of an 16 minute train ride and the other half using his fingernails as toothpick. Do I hear a collective yuck?
– This one is not MY woe but someone else’s: Yesterday, I saw a guy who was so tall that he had to stand with his head bowed even when he was standing on the part of the train that had the highest clearance. He was easily over 7 feet tall. I was hoping someone would see how miserable he looked and offer him a seat. Even if he looks to be very able-bodied, I would tend to think being too tall could be considered a disability.
I hear you on the flu! My parents are older and have been staying home as much as they can the past few weeks. I’ve opted out of a few non-essential public events too. Yeesh.
What a great Demeter find! Their layering sets are so clever, and their lavender ooooh it is a good one.
And yes, I think someone should have offered the tall guy a seat. It’s extra dangerous for him if the train stops suddenly, and heaven forbid he fall ON someone.
I’m vertically challenged the other way being barely over five feet tall. When I rode the trains to work I was many times offered a seat or a “safer” place to stand so that people wouldn’t trample me when the doors opened. So often people in a hurry would bump me and say “oops, didn’t see you” when I was standing right under their nose.
I payed it forward by always giving up my seat for anyone who remotely looked like they needed it. Baby in arms, kid in a stroller, swaying with fatigue, sprained big toe, whatever, who am I to judge? If people resisted my offer I’d get up anyway and move down the car so they’d just sit down already. LOL
I initially hesitated about the Demeter because the box was kind of mangled but the inside looked perfect. I will store them in a zippered pouch, no issues with breakage since the atomizers are plastic.
My SOTD is Breath of God by Gorilla Perfume from Lush. It was a blind buy based on the notes, back before there was a Lush boutique in every mall. This extremely weird, creosote-soaked, melon-y smoke bomb oddity has virtually nothing to do with the note list (except maybe the cade) and to this day I can’t really quantify it. It was complete hate from the very beginning, and yet I could not let it go and have come to a grudging but enduring respect for it. Because WHAT I want to smell and HOW I want to smell are two different things, I don’t pull Breath of God out more than 2-3 days a year, and always in the winter, but when I do I am never bored by it.