It's Hump Day, and it's World Heritage Day / International Day for Monuments and Sites. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Hermès Cuir d'Ange, from the most saturated perfumer category in my collection.
Reminder: on 4/20 we're doing Can’t stop, won’t stop...wear a perfume from the most saturated category in your collection. Suggested by Coin-op.
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 Guanajuato, Mexico [cropped] by Russ Bowling at flickr; some rights reserved.
In Burberry Brit Rhythm for another cold, grey and busy day. Be well everyone!
You smell great perfumelover!
Thank you Robin! You also smell fantastic!
You are smelling lovely! I’m a Jane-y come lately to BBR, but I think it is an excellent “spritz in a hurry” scent.
Thank you! It is a lovely no-brainer. Perfect for these days that I have no idea what to wear…
I took the ferry in to an MD early appt this am and it has mechanical problems and can’t dock! I’m still stuck for the last 1/2 hour. The fire dept is here and hopefully they can get us off soon. I missed my appt ????Snd Mercury is NOT retrograde… Maybe it’s asleep.
BUT, I’m smelling all kinds of creamy, retro floral wonderful in Opardu, courtesy of Petunia! Wasn’t sure about the 1st time I tried it, but now I’m finding it quite beautiful.
Be well and patient Elisa P! I hope you are out of there soon. I am putting all the blame on everything that goes wrong these days on “WINTER REFUSING TO GO”. ???? At least you smell fantastic!
It took a while but the FDNY helped everyone get off. Yes, we can blame winter for EVERYTHING!!
Oh no, what a morning! So glad you are wearing something beautiful, and good luck getting off that ferry.
It was a drag, but all’s well now.
Yikes! What a bummer.
We had elevator issues in our building today. None of them were working and so the back up in the lobby was a little crazy.
I seriously considered going home. Who wants to work on the 27th floor with malfunctioning elevators?
Oh, dear. That happened during Sandy and I was doing Sandy. Maybe 15 flights was the most. I would’ve gone home, too, if I were you.
I was going * homecare*. I never *did* Sandy ????
No one!
Ugh. I’m sorry you missed your appointment. Hopefully, something magical will happen today to make up for your morning.
Opardu is beautiful, especially in cold weather. You smell gorgeous!
The magic hopefully will be no issues getting my license at the DMV later! I’m wondering how Opardu would do it warm weather or whether it’d be too much?
I tried it in warm weather and really didn’t like it. It went mothbally on me. It’s my favorite spring floral for winter, though. Good luck at the DMV!
I like it best in spring before it gets too warm. This weather is perfect!
I wasn’t sure whether you’d like it but I tbought eitber way, it is nice to satisfy your curiosity. ????
Well that’s unfortunate. And the ferry should have been very efficient for you. Hope you got off okay and on to next destination… smelling good the whole time!
Thanks! Usually it’s 9 minutes from Greenpoint to 34th st, so generally very efficient.
Yikes, how frustrating! Especially if rescheduling the appointment proves to be a problem. I’m trying to figure out why a ferry would be unable to dock?
It was, mostly because I made this MD appt a month ago for early am for fasting bloodwork. Those spots are hard to get. Much rather be touring wine country! Enjoy!
Wow, that must have been really frustrating. I’m glad you’re safely ashore! Good luck with the rest of your day.
Thanks Sistine. At least no one was injured.
Sorry about the ferry and your missed appointment. I hope your day improved. Also, I think you smell beautiful today. Opardu is a stealth scent. It took more than one wearing for me to love it. I almost wore it today too but I had a craving. My hand was on my decant….
I had no idea what to expect with this one since you surprised me (????) so didn’t read up on it. I didn’t like it the first try, but I was also in a bad mood, lol. I tried it again and paid more attention to it and liked it more. Today, it just clicked! Thank you!
I wasn’t sure whether you’d like it but I tbought eitber way, it is nice to satisfy your curiosity. ????
Oh no! Sorry to hear about your commuting woes this a.m. Plus a missed Dr. appointment? Yuck. Like you said, though, thank goodness that nobody was hurt.
L de Lolita Lempicka today! My first Maurice Roucel fragrance- I love it so.
It won’t arrive by Friday, but the Kate Walsh Boyfriend rollerball I pre-ordered yesterday would 100% fit the saturated theme. Michael Edwards calls the category “soft orientals”; I prefer to think of them as “scent snuggies.”
I would love to know how many pre-orders they got yesterday!
They brought it back?!
Ooooh! I had heard it was coming back….where can I preorder? THANKS!
Link on right column under Twitter feed
I’m sooo tempted, though this would be unsniffed for me… the ad copy on the website is hilariously Eaux Faux:
“You smell like a memory,” they’ll say.
“I’m living in my own present,” in which you will answer. “The only one I need.”
HA — I think that will be the new voiceover for ALL my perfumes.
I vote that we get Joe Bailey (voice actor, “Epic Movie Trailer Guy”) to read all the ad copy around here….He’s AWESOME!
https://www.youtube.com/user/jon3pnt0
OMG – that would indeed be hilarious!
“Tastes like memories” is one of my favourite weirdo compliments to give.
This is reissued, yes? Why, or how I should say, can we get some other discontinued to reissue?
AND there’s a candle?! I’m in trouble
I’m nearing the end of my current bottle, I’m so glad they brought Boyfriend back! It is a snuggly scent!
I have two 15 ml bottles that I stock piled as it was discontinued. I don’t wear it often because I work in an office but it’s a great scent for nighttime. Very snuggly. I hope they didn’t mess with it.
I stockpiled a couple of bottles, too!
It’s a great scent for the price.
Wearing Rozy Voile from an unusual category for me – I own every scent in every concentration that this perfumer has made. Not all full bottles, but I am still ticking off a completeness box.
Truthfully, I was looking for the Rozy EDP, but grabbed the Voile instead, and I’m 100 % OK with that.
Ah, interesting way to categorize. I don’t think I own a single scent in every concentration, will have to think about it.
Oh, gosh. You’re just the person I want to talk to. I tried a few Vero scents early early on in my rabbit hole ventures, but sadly I didn’t yet understand that I’d want to revisit them, so I got rid of all my samples. And now, I want to go back to her, but I don’t know where to start. There are so many different concentrations of everything. Do you have any favorites you’d recommend?
Hi Lizbee! I’m a huge Vero fan, and have sampled almost everything and own quite a few. My personal favorite is the Rubj extrait, but I also own/love the Voile D’Extrait. Mito is gorgeous in the Voile, as well as Rozy. The hardest scent to wear easily, in my humble opinion, is Onda. I have samples and that is just fine when I want to revisit it. Hope this helps!
Wonderful. Thank you! Heading to the decanters now. ????
Rozy EDP is one of my desert island scents – well rounded and complex.
Mito EDP is for when I want something dry and arid, yet non-screechy
Rubj Extrait is sex and comfort.
Thank you! I’m eager to find a love in her line. I really want to connect with her artistry in a personal way.
Naja is amazing
I’m wearing Une Rose Vermeille. I haven’t counted but my rose collection is pretty saturated.
You smell great! I think it’s my favorite Tauer perfume.
Mmmmm. Yum.
Smelling fabulous!
Continuing the vintage minis theme, I am wearing Caron Pour un Homme, and I like it better than Shalimar.
Hmmm that was supposed to have a “whispers” tag before “like it better than Shalimar” but I think it got eaten because I typed it like an html tag oops. Pretend that’s in teeny tiny letters….
I love that one! Check out fragrancenet, they have 750 ml bottles for less than 100 dollars. The size of a wine bottle as someone pointed out, lol. (I like it better than shalimar too????) You smell great!
Away from me, temptress! I already bought more than I need because they had a cute mini set for $20 on ebay
Yo, you can shower in it if you wanna:
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/caron/caron-pour-homme/edt#122603
I’m in Alahiiiiine today, which is from my least saturated category as there is nothing else like it.
I have tried this one several times, and the best it has ever scored is a solid MEH.
Obviously, I don’t smell something you do. What d you smell??
I would bet that it’s not as much what I smell as it is how Alahine reacts with my skin vs yours. There are lots of scents that I’ve tried after seeing many, many raves from NSTers (Silences, Theorema, Seville a l’Aube, several others) that just didn’t work on me at all. It’s sad when one that, on paper, should be a lurrrve turns out not to be … but there are always more fragrances to love, thank goodness.
Alahiiiine! (I think it’s a shorter term for: “you smell great”)
Thank you!
SOTD: 31 Rue Cambon; definitely one of my most worn brands is Chanel.
A sweet colleague, who loves perfume like me, brought over a flyer yesterday which was Lord & Taylor’s 15% off all beauty including fragrance. Kind of workmates I like!
You smell great!
15% off? Is there anything that you will be confessing to Donatella?
Awww, that is sweet! Wish I had a workmate like that. Are you taking advantage?
What a nice coworker! Sounds like a gem.
I’m wearing Marni today. I have quite a number of rose scents, but I also have three of the Marni scents, so I guess I’m pretty well saturated on both fronts.
I’m wearing Hinoki by CdG, which is my most saturated perfumer.
I have lots of Antoine Maisondieu scents too!
I’m in Rouge Hermes today, one of my most collected houses, and from a mini, purchased unsniffed.
Do you like the Rouge? Inquiring minds want to know!
Ah, you smell great!
I’m wearing Bottega Veneta Eau de Velours today, from my second most saturated category: leather. In three days, I’ve drained the generous sample given to me by an SA at Nordstrom. I like it very much. I don’t neeeeeed it, but since it comes in a cute 1oz bottle for under $100, I’ll probably have to get it.
Yum. Do they do a travel size? I was able to get a 20ml travel size of the original Bottega Veneta EdP.
I haven’t seen a travel size, but that would be pretty great.. To start. ????
I tried Eau de Velours this past weekend. I liked it very much as a summer-weight version of Bottega Veneta. Very pretty!
Wearing Maroc pour Elle, from my super-satutared category “anything Andy Tauer makes.” That would include bottles, backup bottles, minis, his regular line, Tauverville line, soap, and body oils. You could say that I’ve (figuratively!) drunk the Tauerade.
You have drunk the Tauerade!
The Data Miner soap makes me weep, almost literally, because I treated myself to it once and it made my bathroom smell so amazing and I just can’t bring myself to spend that much on soap again and I think about it all the time and wish he would make it in a perfume.
I think if you’ve found a soap that you love so much it almost brings you to tears, you should have no guilt buying it for yourself. It’s not every day that a scent moves you like that!
I’m with therabbitsflower on this one!
if it makes you weep with joy – get it.
3rding this – and get a case of that soap!
It’s $15 at Luckyscent – surely that isn’t too much for something that brings you such joy!
$15 plus $9 for shipping. Oh please. Why do shipping costs vary so wildly?
I know – its annoying. TwistedLily has it for $4.50 shipping if that helps.
There’s a free shipping code (“NST”) at LuckyScent with a $50 purchase. Or Twisted Lily has free shipping promotions. Or maybe buy direct from Andy….not sure if there free shipping.
Well, I’m definitely getting some of that soap.
Do you have anything from his collaboration on a movie project from years ago?
At one time, I had a sample of Miriam from that collaboration. Lovely stuff.
I may have cornered the market on Dark Passage. I have 4 of the travel sprays, 3 of which I got from swaps with NSTers.
Ha! Excellent ????
You have picked an excellent house to saturate your collection with. And you smell lovely today.
????
Excellent category to saturate in/with!
I have a doctor’s appointment today, my migraine specialist, so technically, I can’t wear any scent. However, I shall dab on something very quiet, like Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan, under my shirt. This one disappears quickly, so I’ll be scentless by the late afternoon. Meanwhile, the receptionist put on the strongest scented hand lotion when I was there last, so I had to tease her.
And how did she respond? I’m fascinated by scent-free zones that only ban perfume.
A medical tech once used some cotton candy smelling BBW hand sanitizer before touching me and I could smell it all day! And it was cloying!
Oh yuck! That sounds nauseating. Some of those hand sanitizers do reek up a storm!
No one noticed my scent. My migraine specialist is an awesome lady!
SotD is Vetiver Extraordinaire.
I have a few bottles of vetiver centered scents, but saturated…? No, I started two years ago as a perfumista, no category is saturated yet haha.
I also tried the new Gucci Bloom flanker Acqua di Fiori today.
I smells like a cheap bathroom freshener to me. I liked the original one, but this is just yuck.
(i tried it on my skin and now I feel so uncomfortable, no one wants to smell like a bathroom freshener right?)
ugh! Sorry about the yucky scent. I recently tried a fragrance with a lilac note that I thought I would love. Nope, it smelled like a badly scented candle. Then it lasted on my arm until the next day.
Fortunately this one becomes pretty quiet after 2 hours and after 4-5 hours its a faint generic clean musk.
So not a lot of damage was done.
Eww. Not me. That’s good to know. Thanks for doing the research ????
Dont want to scare folks away from this one. On fragrantica the reviews are more on the positive side. Though a quick screening gives me the impression that if you don’t like the original you’ll like this one and vice versa. Haha.
I usually love green scents and white flowers, but I guess I prefer them somewhat bolder/sturdier, (cant find the right words…).
Thanks for taking one for the NST team, Jiji! I won’t go out of my way to sniff this one.
I’m in a light application of not-long-lasting Cedrus (Fiele) this AM as I am hoping to get to the gym. But this one is lovely while it lasts.
Off topic question about face products: “Sink in”. Do any products really sink in to your skin? How are they absorbed? I have tried a few face oil type things that seem to, a bit-ish. For the most part, when I apply a toner, and then some other promising cream with promising ingredients at night, I wake up with a thin film of products on my face that I need a copious amount of warm water to wash off. Am I missing something? Is my skin weird?
I might be weird, but I think this is more a function of how much oil your skin produces vs. the product itself. I have no problem with products sinking in except when for hormonal or other reasons, my skin is more oily than usual.
My skin is like a sponge and sucks everything into it pretty much immediately (this is due entirely to age. It wasn’t always like this.) I’m envious that your night cream is still present in the morning.
Do you only use water to wash? It’s possible that your skin isn’t cleansed enough for the products to be able to fully absorb. Or it may be your skin type, like Robin mentions. Do you just use a toner then cream?
It just makes me wonder if I am totally wasting my money on products that in the end, don’t do anything. I wash my face with all the proper micellar water to remove make up and then a gentle face cleanser, etc. at night. In the morning I don’t though. In the day time I use a toner and hydrating face cream/sunscreen. At night I use a toner and a face cream, but sometimes a gentle chemical exfoliant (from Paula’s Choice) instead of the toner. That’s it. I have dry skin.
If you don’t like the feel of a heavy cream you might prefer a layering approach, using multiple layers of hydrating and moisturizing products.
I use a heavy cream over multiple layers but I think of it as a final step to lock everything down. I don’t expect it to do anything more than that, though I certainly prefer one that’s cosmetically elegant. Hope this makes sense!
Night cream are heavier and more dense, so I don’t think it unusual to wake up in the morning with some remaining. I’ve just upped my moisturizer game and wear night cream during the day, thanks to old age.
I can’t believe how drastically my skin has changed since I turned 40. And it wasn’t just that year, it’s every year since. I live in fear that at some point there won’t be any product in the world that can keep my skin hydrated.
Yep, since I left hot humid Florida, my skin has been really struggling. I just started using Clinique moisture surge INTENSE. The intense version is affordable and very effective, I only wish it had a sunscreen…
Just layer some sunscreen over it perhaps?
Boisdejasmin has several great posts on skin care, very well written, very informative and incredibly helpful. Since I’ve started layering my skincare I have not had any issues with dry skin, and my skin has always been very dry and dehydrated.
For my aged, mature skin, Victoria’s reviews really don’t apply. She has totally different skin than I do and is much younger than I am. But it’s hard to find any skincare blogger or advisor over 40. Frustrating! Agree that layering is key. It’s fundamental to the Korean/Asian beauty approach, though I’d been layering for many years before I became an Asian Beauty addict.
I´m well past 40 myself, so I just tweek a few things so my regime caters better to my own needs. I´ve found her suggestions very helpful, just to give me a better alround idea of which ingredients would benefit me.
I can’t believe i was ever 40!
Right there with you.
I didn’t turn 40 recently! But my skin has changed drastically every year since then ????
kpaint, the British Beauty Blogger is over 40 and has a skin care category…
Thank you!!! Just a quick glance and there’s already a product I need to search down… !
Is it helping? How? (Thank you for indulging me in the silly line of inquiry but I am just so curious if everyone is experiencing verifiable improvement from their products.)
I am, finally, noticing some difference from some fairly recent product changes. But my main focus is very stubborn hyperpigmentation and nothing(Rx, peels, etc) has really helped at all until I started using this new-to-me product. Must be willing to peel like a lizard, though, which I am at this point. The new skin underneath does seem more hydrated and better able to absorb whatever.
Yes – keep in mind here that I am possibly a bigger skincare junkie than a perfume addict. I have tons of products in my arsenal that do all kinds of things – hydrate, moisturize, exfoliate, brighten, add glow, fight sun damage, (ostensibly) slow the aging process, etc.
My approach is to have skin that’s as healthy as possible. I can’t do anything about the deep lines or sagging skin, but I can make it look and feel as good as it possibly can.
Well I bet your skin IS beautiful. Sadly, I am not a skincare junkie but only a food junkie–which does nothing for my skin, and horrible things to my waistline! Kudos to you for taking care of yourself!!
I had that issue with a serum, where it wouldn’t absorb completely and sat on my skin. I recently tried it without using toner beforehand, and that allowed the serum to soak in a lot quicker.
Not all products are designed to be completely absorbed. Some “night” creams or “overnight” masks are purposely occlusive. I highly recommend Retin A (generic!) once you hit your 40s. It’s the gold standard (backed by science) if your skin can tolerate it. Start slowly at a low strength. A tube can last a long time. Worth the price when compared to pricey skin care lines!
Fellow skincare junkie here. Caroline Hirons is my skincare guru. She is a Brit, has a website, and is no nonsense. She taught me to really apply my skincare properly. It’s almost a sweeping massage action, but everything gets absorbed. I have a 6 step skincare regimen in the evening (have to get that sunscreen off), but my skin has never looked better. I only like a heavy night cream in the dead of winter. Otherwise, it’s hyaluronic acid product, an acid treatment serum, a light treatment oil, and then a light moisturizer. It’s sounds complicated, but it’s a treat for me to take care of my skin, kind of like a ritual before bed.
Amouage Myths Woman, smelling like a daffodil on steroids. I love it.
I’ve been looking over my collection and trying to figure out my categories. Thanks to Ari for mentioning “soft orientals” (scent snuggies :D) as this may be my largest category as well. I seem to also have a lot of gourmandish fragrances. Many of them are not out and out gourmand, but have a sweet element to the drydown: Dzing!, Micallef Gaiac, even VCA Bois d’Iris.
Anyhoo, I’m in Boyfriend Dry Oil today and wanting (but holding back so far) to pre-buy some of the relaunched perfume…
Might as well wait — if this batch sells out I’m guessing they’ll make more! It seems to be getting more buzz the second time around.
Hellooooo dear NSTers! Today was our last day in Paris; strike willing, we leave tomorrow morning. We visited a bunch of churches and Palais Royal and did soooooome shopping!!! Yup. I went to Serge Lutens. After much sniffing and waffling between La Myrrhe and Santal de Mysore, I finally gave in and got La Myrrhe. (De Profundis is OUT OF STOCK UNTIL JUNE!!!!!!!!!! Hey, anyone planning a trip to Paris this summer?
) The man was very lovely indeed (in response to whoever it was who said that they were ill-treated at the boutique), but he was extremely stingy with the samples. Grumble.
I had Santal de Mysore on my arm, though, and kept sniffing it, and four hours later, I went BACK to the boutique to pick it up, too. While there, we waited for another SA to finish up with a customer, so he showed me the Section d’Or perfumes. They’re fabulous scents, especially in the engraved flacons, but they are a bit too much money for my blood. “Do you only have them in 50 ml bottles?” I asked. He misunderstood my intent completely and said, “Yes, but 50 ml is plenty because it’s an extrait de parfum.” Yeah, I wasn’t worried I wouldn’t have enough.
So anyway. YAYYYYYYY I am now the proud owner of TWO BELL JARS AHHHHHHHHH. I promised my boyfriend I’d try to split off up to 15 ml of each of them, so, uh, let me know if you’re interested, I guess? No rush. And, like, even if it never happens, oh well.
It was warm and sunny and beautiful today. This has been a pretty great trip
I adore Santal de Mysore and I was pleased there was a happy ending about that in your story. How wonderful you got to go there! I am wondering now, how will you get those big jars home safely?
two bell jars! such riches! sounds like your trip has been wonderful!
Hahahaha the very idea of needing more than 50 ml of anything!
Wow, that sounds like a wonderful day! Congrats on your new bottles.
La Myrrhe bell jar – you will not regret that purchase !!!!
Oh I am *so* glad you were well looked after and that my experience was an anomaly (and that you had different SAs looking after you). La Myrrhe was the one i would have gone back for if I hadn’t been so grumpy.
Congrats on your TWO bell jars and a positive experience at SL!
W00t! Didn’t I mention that your 1Q purchases were practice for Paris? You can put me down for 5 mLs of La Myrrhe and if you can’t find anyone for the other 10, I will increase my split portion to 10mLs.
Good morning Y’all….
Feels more like Spring today…… https://www.instagram.com/p/Bht1VaYHNJ7/?taken-by=jadainga99
If you look real close, you can see the Perfume Grinch in the left corner, stewing over his tax return….LOL!
Sampling Si Passione today….not quite sure I like the black current vibe on my skin. But we’ll see what the drydown does in a bit!
Pretty! Those are rhododendrons? My parents’ have azaleas in their front yard. I look forward to their blooms each spring.
YES! And I get laughed at because I pronounce them “rho-doe-den-drums” (the way I always heard my Southern mom/grandma say it)…I have to put a M at the end of the word! I can’t fix me this late in the game….
There is a nest full of birdies in my plant, and Mama Bird wasn’t happy when I clipped some of her flowers off this AM!
I mispronounce them as “rho-ho-den-dronz”. For some reason, I swap out the first “d” for an “h”.
That’s funny! I often hear it and say rhododendrun with an M too. Must be a southern thing.
And I have someone in my family who says nasturtiuNs instead of nasturtiuMs, lol.
Commando today as tour instructions state no perfumes so as not to interfere with the bouquet of the wines.
Hope everyone has fabulous fume filled day! Happy Humpday ????????
Enjoy the testing!
Whenever I go, I put something on the wrist of my non-dominant hand trying to choose perfume with notes that are not expected to be in wines.
…wonders if there are perfume tours that ban wine…
Oh but I do like the idea of a perfume tour with wine… The SF perfumery Tigerlily usually serves some libation–once it was a chichi herbal cocktail, another time champagne–at their special events.
My friend and I stumbled into a Tom Ford event that was serving champagne – it was such a treat, especially because they invited us right in once they saw we were interested in (and knowledgeable about) the perfumes. We felt like fancy ladies.
Oh how cool!
Thanks for other book suggestions yesterday. Enjoy your wine tour today.
Prost! Enjoy your wine tour… your adventures have been escapist reading for me. ????
Your pictures are gorgeous on Instagram!!
SotD = Eau des Merveilles
Mmmm, happiness in a bottle. Works like a charm every single time.
It’s a wonderful Wednesday, NST friends, let’s make it smell great!
Ahh, you smell delightful!
thanks, k! delightful indeed.
So perfect. You are making Wednesday smell wonderful!
Thanks, sistine! I almost went for Hiris today, but EdM felt neglected, hee hee.
You smell fantastic!
oh my, thank you, Jiji. EdM does feel fantastic, especially that first few minutes of sparkle. I think I will go add a few more spritzes . . .
Today I’m doing double-dip Serge sandalwoods, with Santal Blanc on my left arm and Santal Majuscule on my right. Interesting to compare the two. (I wish I had some of Koyel’s Santal de Mysore to make a three-armed comparison!) At first the Blanc seemed sweet and the Majuscule had a sour note of some kind. Now the Majuscule seems just more bitter. I’m definitely picking up a contrast in their woody notes, later on: cedar vs. rosewood. I have a few scents with rosewood, and while I might not have otherwise noticed it in the Majuscule, now I do. I definitely prefer the Blanc as it’s more powdery and calm.
SOTD is Indochine, one of my top five and it works to remind me of visiting Angkor Wat – my favorite UNESCO site to visit.
You smell outstanding!
Thanks Deva! Its where my avatar comes from.
Heres my report on Agar Ebene from yesterday. Nothing.
Nada. I even picked up my clothes today to check and there was no there there.
The interview was really great, though!
You smell great today!
Good morning all,
SotD is Ormonde Jayne Woman – I am now the proud owner of 7 Ormonde Jayne samples, one a lovely decant from a lovely Nst swap, 5 from Ormonde Jayne directly (friendly but disorganized), and the last from ZGO perfumery, which now carries the line).
It reminds me, in a weird way, of Cuir d’Ange – category of “super lovely”, perhaps?
I did manage to get to ZGO in San Francisco yesterday, and finally got a sample of Cap Neroli (off topic question: I don’t mind paying for samples at all, but can a store actually sell carded manufacturer samples? They did.) On first spray from Cap Neroli, I mostly got parsley. Odd, but need to reevaluate with a proper wear.
I was super excited to see Frangipani and finally try that (OJ website was out of samples or their “US agent” was out of samples, at any rate), but the sprayer on the bottle was broken – the inside of the cap had lodged itself on the sprayer, and apparently, there was no way to get it off. I was this close to suggest a pair of nail scissors perhaps might do the trick instead of ineffective fumbling, but bit my tongue and bought a sample of Tolu instead.
Happy Wednesday!
Selling samples? *brows furrow* I’ve only ever heard of Le Labo doing this. Bummer about the Frangipani. I can’t do the rest of the OJ line due to the Iso E Super, but the Frangipani is lovely. Why aren’t there more frangipani scents, one wonders? Anyone have some faves?
Mmmm. You smell good.
Selling a carded sample seems odd. I just looked at the ones I had hanging around and most, but not all say “SAMPLE NOT FOR SALE” or something like that. So that is pretty shady. But still maybe cheaper than going online and having to pay for shipping to get a sample from eBay, Luckyscent, STC, etc.
Never heard of paying for carded samples in a store. I would think the store gets those for free.
Yeah, that’s weird that they are selling manuf samples. Is that a perfume boutique? Most of the ones here don’t charge for samples in-store and will give 1 or 2 and sometimes they are manuf samples.
And bummer about the Frangipani frustration! It seems the universe doesn’t want you to smell it! It is lovely, though.
This is a real perfume boutique with a pretty good selection, too – it seems all niche, pretty much, and they have a good selection of candles and home fragrances as well. They carry some of the Nicolai line, that’s how I discovered them. It’s probably one of those gray areas with the samples – I think they mostly decant and just happened to have the Nicolai ones (I also got New York Intense). But somehow, I feel they ought to have offered the carded ones up for free since I specifically asked for those two scents, and charged me for the other ones that they had to decant. I think he was going to give me Rose Royale as an extra, but I have that (and don’t love it). Or maybe the Sales Assistant wasn’t aware of how to do things (he may not be their regular person). It is a lovely store in the Castro, though, and you will be able to sniff and try at leisure!
I’m in OJ Orris Noir from my most saturated and most temperamental category – decants! I think this and Woman go perfectly with black or dark clothing of a gothic-boho vibe, which is perfect because that’s how I’m dressed today. ????
HA! Good one
(on the category) I also have lots that fit into the “wearing all black” category 
You smell awesome!
Hah! Samples is definitely my most saturated category.
Fleur de peau; I went to the Diptyque counter looking for Florabellio after a hot tip here (no dice), so got a sample of one of the new ones. I suspect that I am not smelling all of it?
But it is lightly springy, just like the day.
It took me a minute to know if I was smelling anything at all. The first time I tried it, I smelt nothing. But now I do smell it and I think it’s really lovely. It floats in and out, which I find fun in some scenarios and frustrating in others.
I tried Fleur de Peau yesterday and get the spring vibe, but it also felt like a distant relative of Santal 33 to me (ambrette, perhaps??). It’s tenacious – I still smelled it this morning (and sprayed Woman on top).
Woot – I’m commenting early because I’m coordinating a night-shift software deployment. It’s just after 1:30am here.
SOTN: Encens Mythique d’Orient
You smell great!
I agree with Apsara. You smell wonderful!
Hump Day!
1) SOTD: in Epidor. Not saturated per se, but a nice, sunny projection and perfect for today- partially sunny with plenty of grey clouds.
2)For USA peeps: Cap Neroli from Parfums Nicolai is available via Beauty Habit- it goes for $45 + shipping of 5.95. I just got it for summer.
Was seriously considering a blind buy of CN from Twisted Lily’s last promo. Somehow, I talked myself down off the ledge. Pls report back on your findings.????
Oh yes! I will absolutely report back!
Good morning all! I’m in Philosophy Falling in Love, from my most saturated category – vanillas/gourmands. Next would probably be citruses, but it’s a chilly morning so this felt more appropriate – sweet blackberry goodness!
Continuing my iris saturation in Heure Exquise, one of my favs. I smell great!
So I have a perfume story. I usually go home and cook dinner for myself rather than eat out, but about once a week since J has been gone I stop at this restaurant for an early dinner on my way home from work. I usually just sit at the bar and have a glass of wine and a bite to eat and talk to what is usually mostly seniors having their early bird specials at about 4:30 in the afternoon. There is this one lady, about 80 years old, that I really enjoy talking to. Anyway, I went last night and I kept getting whiffs of Shalimar. I was thinking and wondering to myself if it was somehow lingering on me or my purse or clothes or something (even though I didn’t wear it yesterday) and then all of the sudden it hit me that it was coming from the lady next to me. I told her, “Ms. Bonnie, you smell great, what are you wearing?” And she said, “Shalimar! I always spray two sprays before I go out! I’ve been wearing it for years!” I told her that I loved Shalimar myself and I thought she smelled marvelous! It was so nice smelling it on someone else and she did truly smell great!
Great story! Isn’t it wonderful smelling other people in beautiful perfumes? I try to get as many friends and family members down in the rabbit hole as possible so that I can enjoy their fragrances as well as my own.
I was walking from the parking garage to my office a few weeks ago and was behind a man who smelled fabulous. He was (I guessed) Middle Eastern and I really wanted to ask what he was wearing, but since I didn’t know him at all, I was hesitant about it. I suppose I’d feel more comfortable asking a woman than a man. Too bad, I still wonder about it!
I probably wouldn’t have asked either. That wonder can be haunting, though. I once asked a woman about her gorgeous perfume, and she wouldn’t tell me. I’m still in search of it, sniffing at the edges of everything that I think comes close, hoping that one day I’ll figure out what it was and find out if it smells as good on me as it did on her. Chances are, my memory of the scent has drifted away what it actually was. Sigh. ????
What a great story! I love smelling perfumes on others, I don’t think I’ve smelled Shalimar out in public (yet).
I used to have the most wonderful conversations with a co-worker and fellow perfumista, she’d travel to Paris annually (her partner’s French) and bring back all sorts of goodies, she and I shared a love of iris in perfumes.
That’s awesome and what are the chances your new bud shares your Shalimar love!? I have never smelled Shalimar in the wild and would love to see how it smells from afar. I followed behind an older woman wearing no 5 and it just smelled so gorgeous! And I love your weekly routine ????
That’s really cool that you found a perfume friend IRL!
Oh what a sweet story! And I do the same – have a nice early dinner on my way home at least 1-2x a week. It’s a great way to sample the city’s great cooking at a slightly lower price point.
What a fantastic story!
I’m wearing Limette 37 from a ridiculously saturated category in my house: le labo samples. I have no idea how I accumulated so many. I do smell really good, so I won’t mind if this one mysteriously duplicates itself.
Is it really limey?
I don’t know if I get lime exactly, but I do get an overwhelming impression of unripened lemons (when they are green on the tree). (Mind you, I spent a lot of time working in lemon orchards, so this is a very familiar scent.) I really like it – it’s very refreshing. Is it city exclusive price refreshing? Probably not, but I do really like it. If it was regular le labo price, I would probably be plotting to buy it.
In Cuir de Lancôme today…leather. I’m not overly saturated in this note but that’s because of holding back from scents I know I’d like and want….
Thanks for the well wishes on the cookies. What a saga. I think my brain just decided to visit another planet while making them.
First, I left out the half cup of granulated sugar when creaming the butter, honey and brown sugar. Yes…I forgot the sugar in my cookies.
Couldn’t fix it so started over. Then I realized it called for 8 oz of butter, not 4. Two sticks, not one. That I was able to fix.
Then I chilled the dough overnight instead of for two hours. So, I had to let that brick soften up this morning in order to actually roll them out.
Just took the first batch out. Not quite Miette, of course, but still delicious. Yay!
I’m a seasoned cook (not a baker so much) and find it very hard to read and follow recipes. My eyes dart all over the page rather than seeing things in an orderly fashion. Happy to hear you had success in the end!
You smell delicious in Cuir de Lancome.
Exactly what happened to me. I got focused on certain things and missed the obvious…
Ha! Sounds like something I’d do. Partly because, like kpaint, I can’t read in an orderly fashion (anything, actually) and I’m impatient. But glad they came out ok in the end!
I made banana bread (grain free) that I’ve made multiple times and mindlessly used coconut flour instead of the required almond flour. Coconut flour absorbs A LOT of liquid. I just kept adding more eggs and liquid to it. It actually came out ok.
I don’t usually have that problem with reading retention. If I’m cooking and I can get my husband to read the recipe out loud that works much better for me. But cooking is faster-paced than baking (and probably my approach is different.)
When I bake I do it really slowly and pre-measure everything, then read the recipe like 20 times. But it’s frustrating to feel like one’s brain isn’t up to the task and can’t make sense of anything!
Both the Cuir de Lancome and the cookies sound great! ????
Skipping Shalimar today for my 2nd most saturated category, Chanel No 5. I’ve got it in every variation – extrait, edp, edt, edc, also pdt (which is a bit of a mystery bottle – I’ve never heard mention of its existence,) the body oil & lotion and the fancy gel with gold flakes. Unlike Shalimar, I haven’t got any flankers,and save the last 3 they’re all vintage (except some samples of the current edt and edp that I picked up recently.)
I’m in the body oil (which is gorgeous, thanks pixel!) and decided to amplify it a bit with some current edt.
Despite having loads of No 5, I don’t have a perfume version I can wear regularly. A year or two ago my nose turned on me and more often than not all my vintage perfumes reek so strongly of animalia that I can’t wear them. I had a discussion on BdJ with a woman of the same age who’s suffering from the same and had chalked it up to being perimenopausal. Some days my vintage perfumes smell the way they should, but most days it’s like being suffocated in fur.
I am writing all of this out to convince myself that I should in fact buy a very overpriced bottle of the d/c’d elixir. I got samples of the current edt and edp to see if either speaks to me, but they don’t, sadly.
On a non-perfume note, I don’t recall who it was here that recommended McMafia, but whomever it was – thank you! I’d never have found it myself. I’ve been watching it alone but am up for a rewatch of the whole season with my H as I missed many of the finer points. It’s very well done and unusually quiet, which I appreciate.
I bet if you wait it out, your nose will revert and vintage will work again.
I hope so! I have lots (lots) of vintage bottles that aren’t seeing much wear lately.
I’ve been looking for a new series – but can’t do a lot of gruesome violence. McMafia caught my eye previously but I assumed the violence. Do you think McMafia might work for me?
This is hard for me to answer since I have a pretty high violence tolerance. It is violent, but that’s not the primary thrust of the show. It’s not nearly as violent as The Americans, for instance, which is one of my favorite shows but one I have to avert my eyes from frequently. The violence in McMafia is also not nearly as gruesome – we’re not talking protracted torture scenes or the like. The camera doesn’t linger on the violence – someone gets shot, move on, next scene.
What I do have a hard time with is shows that are scary and creepy. McMafia is not. It’s more about relationships, but since many of those relationships exist within the Russian mafia, there’s a certain amount of tension.
One of the scariest, creepiest, most violent shows I’ve ever seen is The Tunnel (esp season 1.) If that’s a 10, McMafia is like a 2.
I have a bit of the oil and it smells nearly identical to the current EDT to my nose.
I’ve only tried the vintages in the last year or so and they were too animal for me.
It makes me so sad. My favorite is the Spray Cologne (aldehydes aldehydes aldehydes!) but there really isn’t a good substitute for it
My recollection of the elixir is that it smells a lot like the oil, but wears more like a perfume. I layered the current edt over the oil today and I actually don’t find them to be terribly similar.
Hey everyone, today’s SOTD is Thierry Mugler, Angel Liqueur de Parfum – just one spritz as I got a few stink eyes at work yesterday.
:/
With the caramel/vanilla notes, I’m craving a Caramel Macchiato!
That one is so nice and smooth – the only Angel I can wear.
It really is surprisingly smooth, isn’t it??
Ha! That’s too bad.
SOTD is Neela Vermeire Mohur EDP.
On a side note, my most saturated categories in my collection are
Tom Ford, Serge Lutens, and MFK, I will have to count each one to know which house I have more of. When I started down the rabbit hole, my top three largest collections were L’Artisan, Annick Goutal and the original Jo Malone.
Oh wow, I’d love to be saturated in MFK scents! Ooooh!
You smell beautiful!
Second that!
Un Air de Bretagne from L’Artisan for today
Fabulous!!
Another busy workday. SOTD is Au Dela. I am craving spring….
Funny, just posted my whine about spring right below you! ????
Sotd: Rose Barbare
Wishing for spring……
At least we smell good. Another rainy day predicted for tomorrow in my area. The May flowers better be spectacular…
Wearing some Ivoire from my emergency backup stash at work. I wasn’t in a hurry, so how did I forget?
It happens! (Hence the EBS!)
Filomena mentioned MFK so I’m wearing Amyris today. The sun is out (yay!) and it looks like spring.
Amyrus,,,a sunny perfume for a sunny day. You smell great!
The sun is out today, but it still feels like a bit of yesterday’s chill is lingering. Thanks for the sympathy and good wishes yesterday… I appreciated them so very much.
SOTD = Meerschaum, from two of my most saturated categories: samples and Soivohle scents. Love that Soivohle has 10 mL bottles! Meerschaum is a smoky, earthy, woody scent that I find calming and meditative. Good stuff.
I never tried Meerschaum but I really liked Soivohle’s Tears of Ra, Lilacs and Heliotrope and Honeysuckle Bird. I haven’t tried many others from the line. I am curious which is your favorite from her line.
Oh geez, I’m not sure I can narrow it down to just one favorite. I’ll stick to current scents… Green Oakmoss, Calcutta, Anniebelles Rose, and Lilacs & Heliotrope are probably the ones I think of right off the bat. I have 10 mL bottles of the Green Oakmoss and Lilacs & Heliotrope. I have also sampled Underworld, Pachou Minimal, and now Meerschaum. Calcutta is the one I keep thinking about getting a travel spray of.
Maybe you should treat yourself!
And thanks for the info. I was looking at the website recently. I was a little overwhelmed but it’s not nearly as bad as the DSH website. What concentration do you prefer? I think she offers a few choices?
I have more of what she calls “Contemporary Parfums”, which are a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients. The “Natural Parfum Sprays” wear closer to the skin on me. I haven’t tried any of the limited edition “Natural Parfum Absolutes” that are currently on the website. I do like that sample options are now a choice between 1/2 mL dabbers or 2 mL sprays.
I have somehow ended up in almost the polar opposite of the project. SOTD is Davidoff “Cool Water”, one of only 3 pre-rabbit hole scents I still have and the only one that is ‘designer’ rather than some form or other of ‘niche’.
Top: sea water, mint, green notes, lavender, coriander, rosemary and calone;
Mid: geranium, neroli, jasmine and sandalwood;
Base: cedarwood, musk, amber, oakmoss and tobacco.
I used to like this a lot back in the day. It still smells quite different to anything else I have, for what it’s worth.
Beautiful warm and sunny day today, partly spent sorting out building refurb issues via WhatsApp, partly spent walking the canals with TOMK. We had tapas in a Spanish restaurant (terrace was a suntrap, such a nice change from the year to date) and then a cappuccino with coconut milk and a raw carrot cake in an all-natural eatery, so I am a happy bunny. :^)
I’m in Lubin Korrigan today from a sample thanks to a kind NSTer. It’s a fruity gourmand, that stays fairly fruity, and a bit too sweet.
Yesterday I wore Sleeping With Ghosts, which I thought I was rather wild about when I tried it a few months ago. Strange…it reminded me a bit of Juicy Fruit gum at first, but dried down to a lovely soft musk. I’m not sure, but maybe my nose is having a couple of off days. ????
Had sampled a few things in Anthropologie and my fiance commented that he thought one went really well with my body chemistry so I bought it today. SOTD is Sleeping Under the Stars from Lollia
Haven’t smelled it but the name is pretty.
Oh – had meant to say today’s photo is stunning! I would like to be there right now, please ????
Yeah, me too!
Mon Guerlain it was a 250points perk at Sephora and i’m surprised of the lack of longevity. Granted i dab, didn’t came with a spray but still. how much should i use so it can last??? SO happy I didn’t spend money on this ….. My lush Lavender body cream smell more and by the way both goes SUPER well together.
Maybe buy an atomizer for, hopefully, better longevity?
Shalimar eau Legere. I have a mini of this which is in the box, so I never think of it. But so easy to wear.
SOTD = L’Ambree des Merveilles
Perfect for cold partly sunny spring. 7 spritzes and I had been wafting a cloud of amber, vanilla and patchouli all day. Hermes is well represented in my collection.
I should have worn No. 19 EDP because of commuting woes:
This one is worth ten woes so No. 413 to 422 — I sat between 2 Rubenesque+ commuters. The one to my right had her electronic device on her lap and kept herself as compact as possible. The one to my left spread her oversized wings while texting. So as not have her flappers Keep hitting me every which way, I squared my shoulders and backed them against the seat. She then turned to me and said I need to move my shoulder. There was a vertical pole between our seats so I drew an imaginary line to show her that I am within my space. She then said “You’re making everybody uncomfortable” to which I did not dignify with any response because eh, who is everybody (and I just now realized she could have multiple personalities). Anyway, for another minute, she kept shifting her arm and pushing against me and when she realized there really was no place for me to move and she was just exhausting herself for no gain, she stopped. Really?
Commuting Woes No. 423 – while a horde of us were walking down steps, someone let out a big one. Since methane is lighter than dampish air, those of us on the higher part of the stairs got a noseful. Yuck!
Today we’re Merveilles twins! That’s a fabulous amber.
Sorry about the commuter woes, though I admit I LOL’d at the multiple personalities. Sometimes you gotta wonder.
Oh my! Your commuter woes are killing me! I admire your fortitude. If I were forced to commute on any form of public transport, I’m quite sure I would by a stun gun and zap everyone within a 10’ radius. Then I wouldn’t have to commute because I’d be in jail????????
Buy*